Man jailed over fatal collision

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A drunk driver who killed two people and injured two others when the car he was driving crashed into an oncoming vehicle has been jailed for nine years.

Adam Piwowarczyk, 26, was twice the legal drink-drive limit and drinking vodka when he crashed on the Larne Road at Ballynure on 2 December 2005.

Matthew Johnston, 33, and Mary Snoddy, 87, were killed in the collision.

Sentencing Piwowarczyk, of Fore Street, London, the judge said he had shown "a flagrant disregard for road users".

Earlier he had heard that Matthew Johnston Snr, his wife Margaret, son Matthew Jnr and Mrs Snoddy, a family friend, were driving towards Larne after a wedding in the early hours when the accident happened.

A prosecution lawyer revealed that other drivers had seen Piwowarczyk's car being driven in such an erratic manner that they had felt obliged to call the police.

He said the witnesses had told police they had been forced to take evasive action to avoid being crashed into themselves as he veered from side to side, bouncing off kerbs and entering into the lanes of oncoming traffic.

The court heard that Piwowarczyk's car hit a traffic island with such force it launched into the air and that the people in the car behind him could see its underside.

The lawyer said his car smashed into the passenger side of Mr Johnston Snr's car, killing his son Matthew and Mrs Snoddy.

Mr and Mrs Johnston were severely injured in the crash.

Police breathalysed an unconscious Piwowarczyk about two hours after the fatal impact and he was found to have 160 milligram's of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, the limit being 80.

Following blood tests, police also found traces of cannabis in his system.

The lawyer told the court that when police searched his car, they uncovered a partially drunk bottle of vodka and a bottle of coke beside the driver.

Piwowarczyk pleaded guilty to two counts of death by dangerous driving, two of causing grievous bodily injury also by dangerous driving, drink driving and having no insurance.

Speaking outside the court, Mr Johnston Snr said Piwowarczyk had been "lucky" to get away with a nine-year term as his family had been given a "life sentence".

"I should be standing here with four youngsters but I have only three," said the grieving father who had been attending his grand-daughter's wedding on the day his son was killed.