Woman describes devastation after Amble drug driver smashed into car in head-on crash on A197
A woman has described how her life has been devastated after a drug driver smashed into her car in a head-on collision.
Robert Lewandowski was found to be twice the limit for cocaine, 16 times the limit for BZE, a cocaine breakdown product, and more than twice the limit for cannabis following the collision in Northumberland.
The female driver of the car he crashed into told Newcastle Crown Court her life may never be the same again and said she had flashbacks, nightmares, PTSD and severe anxiety.
Lewandowski, from Amble, was on his way to work as an excavator driver when witnesses noticed his Vauxhall Astra was being driven erratically on the A197.
After mounting the carriageway several times, the 30-year-old, of Links Avenue, veered into oncoming traffic, lost control of his vehicle and ploughed head on into a Ford Fiesta at around 07:45 am on 26 September, 2022.
At the scene, Lewandowski handed police a jar of cannabis from his pocket and was also found to be more than twice the limit for cannabis and twice the legal limit for cocaine.
Diazepam was also found in his system but he was below the legal limit for that.
Prosecutor, Neil Pallister, said that Lewandowski's driving "created a substantial risk of danger given the cocktail of drugs in his system."
The driver of the other vehicle was left with two fractures to her spine, a broken sternum and nose.
She said: "I feel my time is wholly taken up by dealing with the aftermath of the collision. I sometimes feel my life will never be the same as it was. I was going to work, that's all and in a moment everything changed."
In her victim impact statement, she said there was an "almighty bang" when Lewandowski crashed into her car and she was left with blood pouring down her face.
Describing the outcome of a CT scan at hospital, she said: "The results were devastating and my world changed completely. I experienced a feeling of helplessness and fear of the unknown which remains with me."
She added that four months after the crash, her broken bones had still not fused and there remains uncertainty about when they will heal and she has been told it could take up to two years.
She said: "I've been advised back pain will remain long term and I have to take pain relief every day. It's affected me physically, mentally, financially, socially and I've not been able to go back to work.
"I have flashbacks, nightmares, PTSD and severe anxiety in a vehicle as a passenger and I'm unable to drive myself. I'm also unable to do housework and shopping."
The court also heard that her husband had to take redundancy due to having to look after his wife.
Judge Robert Adams ordered Lewandowski to pay the victim £4,000 compensation and was disqualified from driving for three years after the he pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, three offences of drug driving and possessing cannabis.
Judge Adams said: "You couldn't possibly complain if I sent you to custody today, bearing in mind the consequences of your driving."
He sentenced Lewandowski to 16 months suspended for 18 months with rehabilitation and 200 hours unpaid work.
Judge Adams said Lewandowski was capable of rehabilitation, that he was injured himself and the offence had been a "wake-up call".
Lewandowski has six previous convictions, including for driving while unfit through drugs in 2013, when he was fined and banned.
He also has offences of criminal damage, malicious communications, theft and possessing cannabis on his record.
Defence solicitor Mark Styles said Lewandowski had been doing long shifts and a lengthy commute. He claimed his client thought he was fine to drive in spite of taking cocaine and cannabis the day before the collision.
Mr Styles said Lewandowski had been receiving help for his drug problem but had "slipped back into his old ways" and that "he is deeply remorseful."
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