Drink driver was more than three times the limit when he caused fatal crash at Thorney Toll

A drink-driver who caused a head-on collision which killed one man and left three seriously injured has been jailed for eight years.

Tomasz Zylinski, 48, had been driving his Mercedes Vito along the A47 near to Thorney Toll when he ploughed into a Mercedes A35 at about 11.50pm on 11 June, 2022.

The Mercedes A53 was being driven by Shahrose Nawaz, 29, from Crawley, West Sussex, who died at the scene.

The front passenger, aged 36, spent several weeks in an induced coma after suffering a ruptured aorta and two rear passengers, in their early 20s, sustained serious injuries.

In the moments after the collision, Zylinski, of Chapel Street, March, tried to restart his engine and was described by a witness as “stinking of alcohol”.

He failed a breath test, providing a reading of 110 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath – more than three times the legal limit of 35 micrograms.

A police investigation found Zylinksi had been driving towards Wisbech when he veered into the oncoming carriageway, causing the fatal crash.

Several motorists recalled seeing Zylinski driving erratically in the minutes leading up to the collision – he was seen performing a U-turn on the A47 and another witness saw him almost veer into the path of an oncoming lorry.

One man urged his girlfriend, who was driving behind Zylinski’s van, to keep back a good distance as he feared they were following a drink-driver.

At Cambridge Crown Court Zylinski pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving a vehicle while above legal limit.

He was jailed and disqualified from driving for eight years and 64 months.

DC Niall Hamshere said: “Yet another life is lost due to a drink-driver. This horrifying case has brought so much heartache to the victims and their families.

“Zylinski knew he had consumed alcohol but selfishly had no regard for the safety of others.”

The force operates a dedicated, confidential hotline for members of the public to report drink or drug driving - 0800 032 0845. It is available 24/7.