A female migrant who drove over a cyclist twice after making an illegal right-hand turn has received a suspended 12-month prison sentence.
Izabella Aleksandrowicz, 50, of Cedar Place, Ridgewood in Swords, admitted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to careless driving causing serious bodily harm to Andrew Brett in Dublin city centre on 11 December 2023, reports RTE.
In his victim impact statement, Mr Brett said he is “still tortured by the sound of my breaking bones”.
Mr Brett, who was also a seasoned marathon runner, said he was “convinced he was going to die” when he was crushed beneath the front wheels of the SUV Aleksandrowicz was driving, reports RTE.
“I was crushed a second time”, Mr Brett said in his victim impact statement referring to the fact that he was also crushed by the rear wheels of the vehicle, reports RTE.
Mr Brett attended court, where prosecuting counsel Stephen Montgomery BL read his victim impact statement into the record.
He suffered liver damage, internal bleeding, fractured ribs and a fractured pelvis. He spent Christmas in hospital that year and said he does not believe he will ever return to competitive running, reports RTE.
“I was a strong marathon runner. Running was a core part of my identity and lifestyle. I am a shadow of the athlete I once was,” Mr Brett said, reports RTE.
He said doctors believed his previous fitness level helped his recovery and described it as “a miracle that I was not killed or permanently paralysed”.
Speaking about missing Christmas with his young children, he said there are only a limited number of years to experience the magic of Christmas with them, and by the time he returned home the decorations and tree had already been taken down, reports RTE.
Mr Brett said his interactions with his children had to be supervised after he returned home to avoid further injury.
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His wife took extended leave from work, while he was unable to work for six months and later had to continue working remotely for another four months because he was physically unable to attend the office, reports RTE.
Garda Ian Galvin told the court that Mr Brett had been cycling from La Touche Bridge, also known as Portobello Bridge, onto Lennox Street at around 9am when he noticed a white SUV merging from his left to make an illegal right turn.
Mr Brett later told gardaí that Aleksandrowicz never looked up and was only watching to her left. He said he realised he was about to be hit as he approached from the right, adding: “I tried to move but it was futile”, reports RTE.
Mr Brett fell underneath the vehicle and was crushed by the front wheel.
He said he screamed loudly before being run over again by the SUV’s rear wheels and recalled hearing bystanders shouting, reports RTE.
Gda Galvin said Mr Brett had been wearing a high-visibility jacket and helmet, while weather and road conditions were good and there were no obstructions.
Aleksandrowicz remained at the scene, held a full Polish driving licence and was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The bicycle sustained minor damage, while the vehicle was undamaged, reports RTE.
Judge Orla Crowe had adjourned the case previously after hearing evidence in February and requested a Probation Service report ahead of sentencing.
She said Mr Brett had been “most unfortunate” because he had done nothing wrong and Aleksandrowicz had no entitlement to carry out the manoeuvre, reports RTE.
Judge Crowe accepted the probation report’s conclusion that Aleksandrowicz presented a low risk of reoffending due to her lack of previous convictions and positive social outlook.
The report also stated that Aleksandrowicz had shown remorse and understood the direct and indirect impact her actions had on Mr Brett, his wife and their young children, reports RTE.
Judge Crowe said the consequences for Mr Brett had been “utterly devastating” and noted that he remains in recovery.
She acknowledged Aleksandrowicz’s guilty plea, sincere remorse, lack of intoxication, the absence of any mechanical fault in the vehicle and the fact that she stayed at the scene, reports RTE.
Judge Crowe said an 18-month headline sentence was appropriate before imposing a 12-month sentence suspended for two years.
Aleksandrowicz was also banned from driving for two years, reports RTE.
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