Woman killed and eight others hurt in Longford car accident

[dutchman]

A woman has died and eight other people including two children were hurt in a two-car crash in Coventry last night.



The accident happened on a canal bridge where Longford Road meets Sydnall Road, in Longford, shortly after 10pm, and six ambulances along with paramedics and doctors were sent.

West Midlands Ambulance crews arrived to find two cars had been involved in what they described as a “significant” collision and bystanders administering aid to nine patients who had been involved.

Sadly, a woman passenger in one of the cars was confirmed dead at the scene.

Three men and a second woman from the same car suffered a range of injuries.

Two of the men, aged in their 20s, were treated at the scene for multiple injuries before being taken to Coventry’s University Hospital for further treatment.

The third man and second woman sustained minor injuries but were taken to the same hospital as a precaution.

A 56-year-old woman from the second car who sustained abdominal, neck, back and pelvic injuries was given pain relief by ambulance staff before being immobilised.

The driver, a 27-year-old man, suffered minor injuries together with an eight-year-old-girl. All three were treated at the roadside before being taken to University Hospital.

A 12-year-old girl from the same car sustained a suspected pelvic injury.

She was given pain relief while a doctor worked to stabilise her injury before she was taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

A woman has died and eight other people including two children were hurt in a two-car crash in Coventry last night.

The accident happened on a canal bridge where Longford Road meets Sydnall Road, in Longford, shortly after 10pm, and six ambulances along with paramedics and doctors were sent.

West Midlands Ambulance crews arrived to find two cars had been involved in what they described as a “significant” collision and bystanders administering aid to nine patients who had been involved.

Sadly, a woman passenger in one of the cars was confirmed dead at the scene.

Three men and a second woman from the same car suffered a range of injuries.

Two of the men, aged in their 20s, were treated at the scene for multiple injuries before being taken to Coventry’s University Hospital for further treatment.

The third man and second woman sustained minor injuries but were taken to the same hospital as a precaution.

A 56-year-old woman from the second car who sustained abdominal, neck, back and pelvic injuries was given pain relief by ambulance staff before being immobilised.

The driver, a 27-year-old man, suffered minor injuries together with an eight-year-old-girl. All three were treated at the roadside before being taken to University Hospital.

A 12-year-old girl from the same car sustained a suspected pelvic injury.

She was given pain relief while a doctor worked to stabilise her injury before she was taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

[rebbonk]

That is a nasty bridge and many drive far too fast over it.

Sad to hear of the fatality. R.I.P.

[dutchman]

Coventry canal bridge crash victim was Kristina Jakus



A woman who died in a crash between two cars in Coventry has been named as Kristina Jakus.

The 37-year-old was in a Volkswagen Bora that collided with a Ford Focus at a canal bridge in Sydnall Road, Longford, on 13 July.

Four men, two women and two girls were also injured in the crash. Ms Jakus was from Latvia but living in Coventry.

A man in his 20s from the Coventry area was arrested and bailed pending further inquiries.

[dutchman]

Driver who caused the death of passenger with crazy overtaking move jailed

A driver who caused a fatal crash by performing a terrifying overtaking manoeuvre close to a humpback bridge has been jailed for four years.

Mareks Jurevicjus was driving along Longford Road near the junction with Sydnall Road last July when he tried to overtake another vehicle at the bottom of the bridge.

He moved onto the wrong side of the road before smashing head on into another vehicle, causing serious injuries to the occupants of both cars.

Jurevicjus’s friend’s girlfriend, Kristine Jakusa, aged 37, was a passenger in the rear of the vehicle.

A nurse who saw the aftermath of the collision dragged her free and even though Ms Jakusa wasn’t breathing the nurse cleared her airway.

Ms Jakusa, who hadn’t been wearing a seat belt, started breathing again but by the time paramedics arrived she had succumbed to her injuries.

At the crown court in Leamington yesterday, Jurevicjus was jailed for four years.

Earlier in the hearing he pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The court heard that he had been drinking heavily on the two evenings before the crash, but had only had two cans of beer on the day of the collision.

In hospital after the crash police asked for him to provide a urine sample four times, but they left empty handed.

Police say they were unable to take a blood sample “for medical reasons”.

Prosecutor Madhu Rai said: “The driver of the other car says all she can remember is seeing headlights directly in front of her.

“She then describes the sound of a bomb going off. That’s the impact of the head on collision between the two cars.

“A post mortem examination on Kristine Jakusa was carried out. Essentially the cause of death was that the main artery of the heart burst.

“The defendant was discharged from hospital on July 18 and he was taken to a police station and interviewed.

“He accepted he went on the wrong side of the road. He said he forgot there was a bridge.

“That’s the reason he just drove fast and then saw headlights in front of him.”

Jonathan Veasey Pugh, defending, said Jurevicjus, aged 29, of Cromwell Street, Foleshill, had been due to work at 8pm, two hours before the fatal collision, but was called to say he wasn’t needed.

He said the defendant, who was driving his ex-girlfriend’s car without insurance, had been encouraged to drive by the other passengers of the car who wanted to go open air swimming in Bedworth.

Mr Veasey-Pugh said: “He should not have been driving. He doesn’t know why he went on to the wrong side of the road.

“Fortunately the injuries sustained by all the other people ... whilst serious, they seem broadly to have enjoyed a relatively good recovery.

“It could have been so much worse and fortunately there weren’t any more fatalities.

“But one is one too many, as this defendant will have time to reflect on in prison.”

Judge John Steel QC sentenced Jurevicjus to four years in prison and banned him from driving for five years.