Jail for driver who killed people carrier passenger

A lorry driver whose vehicle struck a people carrier on the M1 and killed a passenger has been jailed for more than four years.

Polish national Wojciech Bukowski, 65, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to one count of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving (CM 11 June).

On Sunday 1 December, Bukowski’s HGV struck a Kia Sedona people carrier on the southbound carriageway of the M1 at junction 11a in Bedfordshire.

The driver of the Kia had pulled over to the inside lane as the vehicle was experiencing mechanical difficulties.

Emergency services attended and Zahid Ahmed, 19, who was sat in the nearside rear passenger seat, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Four of the other passengers were left with serious injuries and the driver suffered minor injuries.

Bukowski was unhurt in the collision.

Bukowski was also handed four 18-month sentences for each count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, which will each run concurrently alongside his longer sentence.

His Honour Judge Bishop said: “No sentence I can pass can turn the clock back, nor any amount of a sentence bring back what has been lost.”

Detective Constable Ben Amondsen said: “This was an extremely sad incident that could have been avoided, had Bukowski been paying attention to the road.