A drunk chef apologized to a Jaguar driver after smashing into the back of his car and attempting to flee the scene, a court heard. Grigore Coloji, 20, was behind the wheel of his Renault Clio in Middlesbrough on January 21, despite being more than twice the legal drink-driving limit. While on Parliament Road, he forced another motorist to swerve, but still struck the rear of the oncoming vehicle, causing damage.
Teesside Magistrates’ Court was told that Coloji, from Middlesbrough, briefly “paused” after the collision before speeding off. Prosecutor Lynn Dalton explained that prior to the crash, Coloji appeared to be using his high beams. She said, “[The Jaguar driver] noted the vehicle seemed set to crash in front of him. He swerved to avoid it, but it still hit the rear of his car, causing damage.” The victim pursued Coloji, eventually boxing him in on a dead-end street, Portman Street, before alerting police.
Ms. Dalton added, “The defendant kept apologizing to him. When police arrived, it was clear he’d been drinking. A roadside breath test was positive, and he was arrested.” Tests revealed Coloji had 76 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath—far exceeding the legal limit of 35 microgrammes. He admitted to drink-driving, driving without insurance, and failing to stop after an accident.
Defending Coloji, barrister Paul McGee highlighted his job as a chef and lack of prior convictions, requesting leniency for his guilty pleas. Coloji, of Egerton Street, was fined £1,600 and banned from driving for 22 months.
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