Amazon drink driver dragged man along slip road

An Amazon van driver who collided with cars and people as he went the wrong way up a slip road while drink driving has been jailed.

Adrian Dumitrache had been travelling on the A34 southbound, in Oxfordshire, before turning off onto a slip road designed for vehicles to merge onto the busy dual carriageway.

Two men tried to grab hold of his van after he had hit multiple cars, but he drove away with one of them still attached.

The 36-year-old, from Derby, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving when above the alcohol limit, and was sentenced to two years and 10 months in prison.

Adrian Dumitrache has also been disqualified from driving for more than four years

He was also disqualified from driving for more than four years at the sentencing hearing at Oxford Crown Court.

At about 11:45 BST on 21 June, Dumitrache was driving an Amazon van on the A34 near the Wendlebury Interchange before exiting in the wrong direction, up the slip road, Thames Valley Police said.

Having crashed into a number of vehicles, a man in his fifties confronted Dumitrache - before grabbing onto the van as it drove off.

The man suffered a broken leg as he managed to remove the keys from the van’s ignition - bringing it to a halt.

Thames Valley Police investigating officer PC Harry Welch said: “I hope this sentence deters anyone thinking they can get behind the wheel whilst over the limit.

“He [Dumitrache] seriously injured someone and put other lives in danger and I am glad that he has been convicted."

Amazon told the BBC: "This was appalling behaviour. We have very high standards for our delivery service providers and our delivery partner supported the police investigation.

"The driver was permanently prevented from delivering Amazon parcels as soon as we were made aware of this incident."