Yahoo News Driver 'crushed' teen's foot after feeling 'intimidated' by group of youths
A car driver who felt "intimated" by a group of youths "larking about" in front of him suddenly ran over and "crushed" the foot of a 15-year-old boy who had been sitting on the pavement with one of his legs in the road.
Marian Rutka got his leg trapped between the brake and the accelerator pedals seconds before the incident, causing the car to jump forward. The youth was left in "pain and agony" and he later had to use crutches to get around or be pushed in a wheelchair, all at a crucial time when he was taking his GCSEs, Hull Crown Court heard.
Rutka, 66, of Hornby Grove, Hull, admitted causing serious injury to the boy by dangerous driving on May 18, 2022.
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Michele Stuart-Lofthouse, prosecuting, said that Rutka was driving a Vauxhall Insignia car in Abbey Way, off Sculcoates Lane, Hull, and he was with his wife. A group of youths, including a 15-year-old boy, was in the street.
Rutka drove towards the exit of Abbey Way before stopping, turning round and driving back towards the group of youths. The 15-year-old boy was sitting on the pavement with his left leg out into the road.
Rutka's car ran over the boy's foot, causing it to be crushed. Rutka got out of the car and he was challenged by one of the boy's friends, who lashed out towards him.
Dashcam pictures from Rutka's car seemed to show him having a heated argument with his wife just before the incident. He told police that they were on their way to the shops when they realised that their daughter's friend was still at their home and it was getting late in the evening.
They decided to turn back and return home. The incident happened at that point. Rutka had been driving very slowly when he saw the youths in the road, walking in front of his car. He told police that he tried to stop but he got his leg caught on the brake and accelerator pedals at the same time, causing the car to jump forward.
Rutka claimed during interview that he did not know that the boy's foot had been caught underneath the car. A friend of the teenager hit Rutka. More people began to gather around the car so he got back in again and locked himself inside.
The boy was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary hospital. He suffered severe fractures to his left foot and he was admitted to hospital for one day.
He had a plaster cast on for six weeks and he was in "pain and agony" at a time when he was taking his GCSEs. "He had to use crutches part of the time and had to be pushed around in a wheelchair," said Miss Stuart-Lofthouse.
Julia Baggs, mitigating, said that Rutka was retired and received a pension. "He does have funds and could pay compensation," said Miss Baggs.
Father-of-three Rutka came to this country from Poland in 2007 and he had been in Hull for three years. He had no previous convictions but he had three penalty points on his driving licence from a speeding offence in April 2022.
Judge Mark Bury said that the youths were "larking about" and Rutka felt "intimated" because they did not seem to want to move out of the way of his car. He drove more slowly and hoped that they would disperse but one youth, who did not seem to be part of the group but who was nevertheless with them, was sitting on the pavement with one of his feet on the road.
"You made a serious error of judgement by continuing to drive, when your car went over his foot," said Judge Bury. "That caused a fracture of his foot, which required hospital treatment and a cast was placed on his leg. This was a crush injury.
"You stopped to see if he was all right but you couldn't actually find anything out because the group of lads turned on you. One of them assaulted you.
"You weren't speeding. You were entitled to expect those in the road to get out of the way, which they were not keen to do. You should not have driven towards them.
"If you hadn't done that, you would not have driven over this boy's foot. At the time, he was sitting on the pavement minding his own business and you ran over his foot."
Rutka was fined £200 and he was ordered to pay £400 compensation and £100 costs. He was banned from driving for two years and he must pass an extended retest before he can drive legally again.
