Man who left woman with life-changing injuries in hit and run and tried to flee country escapes jail

An Ipswich man who ran over a woman, leaving her with life-changing injuries and then tried to flee the country has escaped a jail sentence.

Florin Mazarache, 26, admitted causing serious injury by careless driving, falling to stop at a collision and failing to report a collision at Ipswich Crown Court, where he received a suspended sentence from the judge.

The court heard that Mazarache was driving in Portman Road in October 2023, when he crashed into a woman who had fallen in the road.

She was taken to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, where doctors said she would never recover from the head injuries she suffered.

Mazarache carried on driving, back to his home in Geneva Road but later, returned to the scene.

When Suffolk Police arrested him, he initially denied committing the offences but officers had evidence of him trying to buy an airline ticket after the crash, and camera footage of him returning to the scene.

Mazarache was given a 15-month suspended sentence for the causing serious injury by careless driving offence, with two further four-month suspended terms for failing to stop and report a collision (to run concurrently).

He was also ordered to serve 15 days’ rehabilitation, banned from driving for 12 months and given 250 hours unpaid community work. In addition, he must pay £500 in costs.

Detective Constable Mark Simpson said: "This investigation shows that police will actively pursue drivers who flee the scene of collisions and believe they can evade being brought to justice"

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