Man sentenced following collision

An Ipswich man has received a suspended jail term for causing serious injury by careless driving, failing to stop at a collision and failing to report a collision.

Florin Mazarache, 26, admitted the offences at Ipswich Crown Court and appeared there for sentencing on 29^th November.

He was driving his car along Portman Road on 15^th October 2023 when he hit a woman pedestrian who had fallen into the road near Barrack Corner. He drove to his home in Geneva Road but later returned to the scene.

Police arrested him at home later. He initially denied committing the offences but evidence showed he had tried to buy an airline ticket after the collision and officers’ body worn video footage then showed him returning to the scene without making emergency services aware of his involvement.

The victim was taken to Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, and will never fully recover from the life-changing head injuries she suffered.

Mazarache was given a 15-month custodial sentence (suspended) for the causing serious injury by careless driving offence, with two further four-month suspended terms for failing to stop and report a collision (to run concurrently).

He was also ordered to serve 15 days’ rehabilitation, banned from driving for 12 months and given 250 hours unpaid community work. In addition, he must pay £500 in costs.

Dc Mark Simpson said after Mazarache was sentenced: “This investigation shows that police will actively pursue drivers who flee the scene of collisions and believe they can evade being brought to justice”.