A suspected drink driver and his friend smashed into a line of five parked cars before fleeing the wreckage and hiding in bushes from pursuing police.
Przemyslaw Roman Kozak and Ksawery Gerard Kalwasinski, both of Ballakermeen Close, Douglas, were only tracked down after a search using police dogs.
For the prosecution, Barry Swain said police saw Kozak’s BMW X5 ’skid out into the centre of Victoria Road’ from the Palace Road junction. They pursued the car into Mona Drive where the driver ignored a no entry sign.
Mr Swain said police lost sight of the car at the end of Mona Drive but a couple of minutes’ later found the accident scene on Palace Road.
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After a search using police dogs the pair were found in bushes at the back of the Palace Hotel. Both refused to say who had been driving the car.
Kalwasinski refused to provide a breath sample. Meanwhile Kozak was seen by the police doctor who referred him to Noble’s Hospital for treatment. He too refused to provide a sample either of blood or breath. Interviewed through an interpreter, 40-year-old Kozak told police he owned the car, it was insured and he held a full driving licence. Kalwasinski also refused to answer questions.
In the case of 35-year-old Kalwasinski, Mr Swain said the defendant was willing to accept a formal caution for failing to provide a breath specimen on September 21 last year. Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said: ’It’s not necessarily a decision I agree with but it is out of my hands. The caution has now been administered and the prosecutor offers no evidence.’
Representing Kozak, who later admitted failing to provide a blood sample, Stephen Wood said: ’My client’s position is that he did not skid out into the centre of Victoria Road, but he does accept that matters were aggravated by poor driving, and there was an accident involving five cars.
’There was no police chase but he does accept that he did behave poorly after the car came to a stop.’
By way of illumination, Mr Swain added: ’It was a following chase, as such. They came across the car again following the collision. I think the skid was perhaps a wheel spin.’
Deputy High Bailiff, Jayne Hughes said she was adjourning sentence pending preparation of a pre-sentence report.
The case was adjourned until May 9 and Mrs Hughes warned all sentencing options, including custody, would remain open. Kozak was bailed with a £500 recognisance to his home address and must not leave the island.