A man who caused a young girl to suffer life-altering injuries by accidentally reversing over her in a driveway has received a 12-month suspended prison sentence.
Dariusz Skowronski (47) failed to notice the three-year-old child as she scooted past the driveway, as her height made her invisible through the rear window of his vehicle, reports Breaking News.
The child was initially hit, and although Skowronski felt the impact and paused the car for a few seconds, he proceeded to reverse again.
Only upon exiting the vehicle did he realize he had driven over the child. He quickly contacted emergency services, and the child’s family was alerted, reports Breaking News.
Sergeant David Sharkey informed prosecutor David Perry BL that the child had no pulse and had stopped breathing when emergency responders arrived. Life-saving procedures were administered at the scene,
He confirmed that the child suffered skull fractures and a traumatic brain injury. He added that he had recently seen the child and said it’s clear she is not like other children her age, reports Breaking News.
Medical assessments confirmed the girl had sustained a serious acquired brain injury, which would have long-term effects on every part of her daily life. Her injuries were labeled as “life-changing”,
The child’s mother and father were present in court, and both provided victim impact statements, which were submitted but not publicly read, reports Breaking News.
Skowronski, residing at Heathfield Close, Cappagh, Dublin 11, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to careless driving causing serious bodily harm on May 17th, 2022. He had no prior convictions.
Video footage from a nearby home that recorded the incident was presented to Judge Martin Nolan during sentencing, reports Breaking News.
Judge Nolan stated that the child was playing outside and moved into the path of Skowronski’s reversing vehicle.
He pointed out that while Skowronski briefly halted after the first impact, he then “renewed reversing” the car,
He described the child’s injuries as “incredibly serious” and said the outcome for her and her family was “horrific”, reports Breaking News.
“Probably the nightmare continues,” Judge Nolan said while acknowledging that the child will not reach her full potential. He said this will impact the victim’s entire family,
He commented that Skowronski was performing a “perfectly legitimate” maneuver but should have stopped completely after the initial impact to determine the cause of the “bump.” The careless driving charge stemmed from his continued reversing, reports Breaking News.
Judge Nolan acknowledged that Skowronski was not impaired by alcohol or drugs, was not distracted by a mobile phone, and aside from two under-inflated tires, the car was mechanically sound.
He stated that the court did not identify any “aggravating factors” beyond the error in continuing to drive, reports Breaking News.
“I think it would be unfair to imprison him,” Judge Nolan continued, before handing down a one-year sentence, which he fully suspended,
He extended his sympathies to the child’s parents and recognized the sorrow surrounding the case. He noted that the court is “very aware” of the burden on the child and her family, reports Breaking News.
Seoirse Ó Dúnlaing SC, representing the defense, said the case was “every parent’s worst nightmare” and called the video footage “harrowing”,
Sgt Sharkey agreed with Mr Dúnlaing’s assertion that the child scooted into the vehicle’s path as Skowronski reversed and that the careless driving occurred when he kept going and “tragically drives over her”, reports Breaking News.
The defense said the consequences for the child and her family are devastating, adding that it’s impossible not to feel sympathy for them.
He urged the court to consider that his client was not using a mobile phone and that there were no contributing factors such as intoxication or drug use, reports Breaking News.
Mr Ó Dúnlaing argued that Skowronski’s remorse was evident and asked the court to consider his clean criminal record.
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