Man sentenced after drink driving crash killed a man and seriously injured a woman

A man has been sentenced after he admitted to driving while drunk and crashing a car killing one of his passengers and seriously injuring another.

Artur Mieszczak, aged 41 and of Goddard Avenue in Swindon, appeared at Gloucester Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday 12 March) where he was sentenced to four years in prison.

As well as being jailed, Mieszczak is disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for seven years and will have to take an extended test if he applies for a licence after this time. He also has to pay a surcharge of £228.

The court heard how Mieszczak was driving a Volkswagen Passat with two of his friends inside when he collided with a tree at Old Birdlip Hill in Witcombe on Thursday 6 July 2023.

One of Mieszczak's friends, a man in his 50s and from Swindon, sustained serious injuries and died at the scene. His other friend, a woman in her 20s and also from Swindon, was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital to be treated for serious injuries before being transferred to Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

Mieszczak was breathalysed by officers due to suspicions he had been drinking and his alcohol reading was 63 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, with the legal limit being 35. 

Following the death of the rear seat passenger, Mieszczak was subsequently arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and driving while under the influence of alcohol. 

Mieszczak also took part in a roadside drugs test and tested positive for cocaine and he was further arrested on suspicion of drug driving.

He was later postal charged with causing death by driving without due care while over the prescribed limit of alcohol, causing death by driving a vehicle while uninsured and causing death by driving a vehicle while unlicensed.

Mieszczak had appeared at Gloucester Crown Court on Tuesday 4 March where he pleaded guilty to all charges and was remanded into custody ahead of sentencing.

Investigating officer PC Shelley Holloway from the Serious Collision Investigation Team said: "On the evening of the collision, the three friends had travelled from Swindon to a viewpoint near Gloucester.

"All three had consumed alcohol at a small BBQ gathering they’d been hosting earlier in the evening, however Mieszczak still took the reckless action to drive while drunk.

"Mieszczak did not hold a valid driving licence at the time of the collision and only had an expired provisional. He also wasn't insured to be driving his friend's car.

"This collision could have been completely avoided had Mieszczak recognised that he shouldn't have been driving instead of putting his friends and other road users at risk."