Woman charged over police van crash in Wakefield

Karolina Serafin, a drink driver who injured an officer and two others when she crashed into a parked police van has been jailed.

The 25-year-old left the three victims seriously injured in July when she smashed her car into them outside the Black Horse pub in Westgate, Wakefield.

Sadly, one victim lost her lower left leg in the crash whilst another had to have part of his leg amputated.

Serafin, from Worksop has admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and sentenced to more than three years.

Leeds Crown Court heard the police officer had been answering a call outside the pub when the driver’s car mounted the pavement and ploughed into the group at about 01:25 BST.

She was later found to be twice the legal drink-drive limit

The court heard all three victims had suffered “life-changing injuries.”

A 30-year-old man suffered multiple injuries to his head, arm and leg, and had to have the lower part of his leg removed at the knee.

Another victim was a mother of two who lost her lower leg in the crash remains “substantially disabled and cannot care for her children.”, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

After the incident the police officer was in hospital for a month with knee and right leg fractures. Daniel Lee from the CPS said: “Due to Serafin’s unbelievably reckless behaviour, the lives of three people will be forever changed.”

Serafin was jailed for three years and eight months and banned from driving for seven years and 10 months.