Divorce request led man to crash (From Evesham Journal)

Divorce request led man to crash

2:00pm Sunday 17th June 2012 in Evesham

A MAN drove into two cars after taking eight painkillers and drinking a bottle of beer after his wife told him she wanted a divorce, a court was told.

Grzegorz Kardas, aged 38, of Spinney Grove, Evesham, admitted driving without due care and attention and failing to stop and report an accident at Worcester Magistrates Court.

Clare Linehan, prosecuting, said at 9.30pm on November 13, a witness living in Briar Close, Evesham, heard a loud banging and a car revving in the street and saw a vehicle collide with a car parked on her neighbour’s driveway.

Mrs Linehan said: “She went to call the police and her son saw the vehicle collide with a second car which was his car. The young man went out and identified the vehicle and he reported that to the police.”

When police attended Kardas’s home address they saw his car which had fresh looking scrapes on it.

Kardas, who works as an engineer, accepted he was the driver. He said he had been suffering from bad headaches and stress and had taken eight Nurofen and drunk a small bottle of beer and later could not remember anything.

Defending Kardas, Edward Gaynor-Smith said on the day of the accident Kardas had expected his wife and children to arrive from Poland but instead she called to say they were not coming and she wanted a divorce.

“This caused him a great deal of stress,” said Mr Gaynor-Smith.

“He lives and works here, miles away from his children.

It came as a shock.”

For failing to report the accident, Kardas was fined £290 and received seven points on his licence. For careless driving he was fined £55 and given three points.

He must also pay £60 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.