Drink Driver Sentenced to Over Two Years for M27 Crash That Cost Footballer His Leg
A drink driver who caused a catastrophic collision on the M27, resulting in a former professional footballer requiring his leg to be amputated, has been jailed for more than two years. Anna Malgorzata Bogusiewicz, a 45-year-old dental technician from Wraysbury, Berkshire, was sentenced at Southampton Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and drink driving.
The Devastating Collision on the Hard Shoulder
The incident occurred on February 1 last year near Ower, Hampshire, when Bogusiewicz crashed her Mercedes into Jordan Chiedozie, a 31-year-old former Bournemouth striker, as he was changing a tyre on the hard shoulder of the M27. Mr Chiedozie had been returning from a football match for Southern League side Bashley FC at Tavistock AFC alongside club physio Reighan Taylor when the terrible collision took place.
Immediately before the crash, Bogusiewicz had attempted to make four video calls. When police spoke to her the following day, she reportedly took no responsibility for the incident and even described herself as an amazing driver.
Life-Altering Injuries and Hospitalisation
The consequences for Mr Chiedozie were severe and life-changing. He was put into an induced coma and ultimately lost his right leg due to the injuries sustained. Additionally, he suffered open fractures on his left leg and a cracked pelvis. He remained in hospital for six weeks, undergoing multiple operations as part of his extensive recovery process.
In a victim personal statement read in court, Mr Chiedozie described waking up by the side of the road, unable to move except to crawl, and feeling immense pain in his legs. He stated: Before, my life was simple. I played football professionally and then part-time as well as working as a roofer every day. Things I loved to do. Every singular one of those things are no longer easy. I would love my life to be normal again. But it won't be because of one day that changed everything. He also expressed gratitude to the medical professionals who treated him.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Bogusiewicz was found to have 60 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath at the scene, with a later test showing 55 micrograms, both significantly above the legal limit of 35 micrograms. Despite having no previous convictions, she was sentenced to two years and four months in prison and disqualified from driving for three years.
In mitigation, her defence barrister, Daniel Santos-Costa, told the court that Bogusiewicz claimed she was driving on the hard shoulder because she hadn't felt safe on the road due to a lack of lighting. He described her as showing the most compelling remorse I have ever experienced, stating she was devastated and absolutely distraught and aware she could not undo her actions.
Broader Impact and Police Statement
The crash has had a profound impact beyond Mr Chiedozie. Reighan Taylor, the physio present at the scene, described leaving her job and moving away from Southampton as a result of the traumatic incident. Last summer, Mr Chiedozie received a guard of honour from his former side, AFC Bournemouth, in a touching show of support.
DC Joy Jarvis of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary emphasised the avoidable nature of the tragedy, stating: There is absolutely no excuse for getting behind the wheel of any vehicle when you are impaired from drinking alcohol. This terrible collision, which has changed a man's life, could have easily been avoided if the defendant hadn't made that selfish decision to drive while drunk.
Mr Chiedozie, who was an academy player for AFC Bournemouth from 2007 before being loaned out to various clubs and sold in 2014, now faces a lifelong adjustment to his injuries, highlighting the severe and lasting consequences of drink driving.
