Drink-driver crashes into two people and officer crushing them against parked police van

A drink-driver left two pedestrians and a police officer with life-changing injuries after she ploughed into them and crushed them against a parked police van.

Karolina Serafin, 25, was double the drink-drive limit after downing vodka shots when her Renault Megane mounted the pavement and hit three people.

The injuries caused were so severe, two of the victims - including a mother-of-two - had to be resuscitated at the scene and both lost a leg.

The police officer also suffered serious leg injuries but surgeons were able to avoid amputation in his case.

The injured officer was dealing with a separate incident when the crash took place shortly before 1.25am on July 11 this year in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

What Karolina Serafin was sentenced to

Serafin, of Worksop, Nottinghamshire, admitted three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving at an earlier hearing.

Appearing before the court on Monday (8 November), she was jailed for three years and eight months.

She had been drinking neat vodka and was ‘all over the place’

Prosecutor Andrew Dallas said that Serafin had been drinking neat vodka before the crash.

After heading to a party at a neighbour’s house, she drank more but got into an argument with the householder.

She was described as slurring, unsteady on her feet and "all over the place" when she then grabbed her car keys and got behind the wheel.

Investigators found that she had set her satnav system in her phone to an address in the Pontefract area moments before she set off.

How the crash happened

CCTV played to the court showed her heading along Alverthorpe Road and onto Westgate. She took the bend wide and veered into the kerb.

She was travelling at an average of nearly 38 mph on the 30 mph stretch, the court heard.

At this time, the police Mercedes Sprinter police van had pulled up at the kerb outside the Black Horse pub on Westgate because of a minor disturbance.

The officer got out and spoke to a woman and man with all three standing just in front of the van.

Body camera footage taken from the police officer was shown to the court at the moment the Megane collided with them, followed by screams.

Serafin suffered head injuries herself and failed to provide a roadside breath test.

However, she did four hours later and was still more than twice the legal limit.

‘Three people’s lives have been ruined’

The heartfelt impact statements of the three victims were read out to the court.

The 30-year-old man, who was resuscitated at the roadside, said he woke up hours later in Leeds General Infirmary and was horrified to see that his leg had been amputated.

He fears he may spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair and has suffered depression and thoughts of suicide as a result.

The woman, who is 31, spent five weeks in hospital and her leg was also beyond saving. She was resuscitated twice by the roadside and was put into a coma.

She says she is being forced to leave her home and move into a bungalow and she is currently unable to look after her two children.

She said she feels "nothing but anger" towards Serafin for her actions.

The serving police officer who also suffered serious leg injuries and is still unable to walk properly. He is uncertain if he will ever be able to return to active duty.

He said: "Three people’s lives have been ruined as a result of this event."

What was said in mitigation

Mitigating, Edel Speirits said: "She wishes to express her regret and remorse for her actions that night.

"Sadly, however much she would like to turn the clock back, she can’t.

"She accepts the full impact she has caused physically and emotionally to all three victims."

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading. NationalWorld is a new national news brand, produced by a team of journalists, editors, video producers and designers who live and work across the UK. Find out more about who’s who in the team, and our editorial values. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and keep the conversation going.