A biker was left lying on the road with his bone on show after a drunken Audi driver crashed into him.
Jozef Plavnicky, 42, was trying to make an illegal manoeuvre by ignoring a no U-turn sign when his Audi A3 “jumped forward” and crashed into a man on a motorbike. Liverpool Crown Court heard the biker Aston Connerty, who was just ten yards away, was knocked from his bike and suffered a life-changing injury to his right foot.
He was left lying in the road with the bone in his foot exposed and members of the public came to his aid. It was feared he would have to have his foot amputated, but doctors were able to save it.
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Plavnicky, who works for a bedding company, initially pulled over at the scene at the junction of East Lancashire Road and Back Gilmoss Lane, Fazakerley, but then reversed direction and drove off. About five minutes later police officers, unaware of the collision, saw him at Randles Farm Interchange with substantial damage to the front offside of his vehicle.
Kate Morley, prosecuting, said they followed him onto the M57 and he was swerving and travelling at 45mph on a 70 mph section. At the end of the motorway he was indicated to stop and officers went to the driver’s door.
Ms Moreley said: “The defendant was leaning over the steering wheel and showing signs of intoxication. He was spoken to and his speech was slurred and his eyes glazed.”
The 42-year-old tested positive for excess alcohol and was taken to Copy Lane police station where further tests revealed he was more than twice the drink driving limit with 81 micrograms of alcohol in 100 mll of breath. The court heard that Mr Connerty suffered a “degloving” injury to his foot which caused compartment syndrome involving increasing pressure restricting blood flow potentially damaging nearby muscles and nerves.
He had three fractured bones in his foot which needed screws inserting and resulting in the loss of a bone running from his big toe. He needed stitches in his right knee and a skin graft to his right thigh and also had a fractured left thumb.
In an impact statement the victim, who lives with his mum, said he has been left anxious about vehicles on the road, he needed plastic surgery on his foot which failed and it took four months to heal. He was also left with a large scar.
Doctors feared his foot would need to be amputated which caused him to feel “extremely stressed and anxious” and he faces two more operations, one to fuse his big toe.
The victim said: “I have noticed my speech has been affected and I forget things which I never used to. I don’t know why it has happened or whether it is due to the concussion I sustained at the time.
“This incident had a massive financial impact on me and massively affected my quality of life.”
He explained he was unable to return to his labouring job for eight months and when he returned, after just an hour, his foot swelled causing extreme pain. He does not know if he will be able to go back to work.
Mr Connerty added he used to be very active and enjoyed walking, but no longer can and is very anxious and frustrated.
Plavnicky, of Argyle Street South, Tranmere, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving with excess alcohol on the evening of October 21 last year. The judge, Recorder Eric Lamb, sentenced the dad-of-two to 20 months imprisonment and banned him from driving for 34 months.
Jim Smith, defending, said Plavnicky has lived in this country for 15 years and works hard to support his family. He has no previous convictions and had glowing testimonials from his supervisor and colleagues.
Mr smith said: “He accepts his behaviour and actions amount to a substantially reckless and unlawful piece of personal stupidity and acknowledges the enduring impact to the victim and his family."
He pointed out that the victim spoke of the Audi “jumping forward” possibly slipping the clutch.
Recorder Lamb pointed out: “Your foot slipped on the clutch when you were driving with more than twice the permitted level of alcohol. You were attempting a prohibited manoeuvre and when a motor cyclist was a mere ten years from your car.
"Mr Connerty described your car as jumping forward rather than pulling out but it knocked him off his motor cycle causing catastrophic injuries to him.”
He said he accepted his behaviour was out of character but listed the catalogue of injuries suffered by the victim and told him, “It was your choice to drive in the state you were in.”
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