Witham: Young driver jailed for dangerous driving leading to collision

A young man whose dangerous driving caused a collision which left another man with life changing injuries, has been jailed.

Corneliu Ioina of Scraley Road, Heybridge, appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Wednesday 31 July to answer charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and dangerous driving.

The 21-year-old pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing and was jailed for a total of two-and-a-half years. He was also disqualified for three years and three months, which started on 26 June, and is required to pass an extended test.

On Saturday 29 July last year, Corneliu Ioina was driving his Volkswagen Golf along Church Hill, Falkbourne Road, Witham, when he decided to overtake two vehicles at speed.

As he returned to the correct side, he lost control of his car and collided, head on, with an oncoming Fiat 500.

Both drivers sustained injuries.

The driver of the Fiat, a man 50s, was cut out of his vehicle before being flown by air ambulance to hospital due to multiple serious injuries.

Corneliu Ioina sustained a broken arm.

An investigation was launched by officers from Stanway Roads Policing Unit who watched the footage of the collision on Corneliu Ioina’s dash cam: it had captured the collision and several other journeys which also amounted to dangerous driving.

Working with the Crown Prosecution Service, Corneliu Ioina was charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving and five counts of dangerous driving between 18 and 23 July 2023 as captured on his own dash cam.

Roads Policing Officer Harry Townsend said:
This has been a sensitive investigation and has taken a considerable amount of time to bring before the court.
I’d like to thank the victim for his support throughout and praise his fortitude in what was a very difficult time for him and his family.
Corneliu Ionia was a young man who took a risk that day, a risk that he has now been punished for by the court.

Head of Roads Policing, Mr Adam Pipe said:
My officers work hard to highlight the dangers on the road and to inform and educate young drivers about their decision making as they drive on the county’s roads.
Speeding is reckless and dangerous and has very serious consequences for them, their passengers and other road users.

Help us reduce road collisions and casualties in Essex and make our roads even safer. Report instances of poor and dangerous driving through Safer Essex Roads Partnership's Extra Eyes initiative.

More than ever, irresponsible, dangerous and illegal road behaviour is being recorded by road users. Through Extra Eyes this footage can be sent to, and reviewed by, an investigator within Road Policing at Essex Police.

Find out how by visiting Safer Essex Roads Partnership website.

We're offering more ways for our communities to stay up to date with our work across Essex.

Our e-newsletter, Dispatch, delivers news, information, and advice from Essex Police.

Dispatch is a ‘one stop shop’ for local police news – direct from the source. 

Sign up is completely free and you can unsubscribe at any time.