Kentish Express Ashford & District
Wrong-way driver: ‘Who says it was dangerous?’
A trucker drove towards traffic on a motorway while speaking on his phone in a “crazy” bid to catch a ferry.
Tomasz Mista tried ordering drivers out of the M20’s inside lane as he hurtled towards them, their headlights flashing and horns beeping.
The 25-year-old was jailed after a jury at Canterbury Crown Court unanimously reached a guilty verdict.
The Polish national argued a potential crash would have been the other drivers’ fault, because he drove the wrong way “carefully.”
When prosecutors asked why he thought motorists were flashing him, he replied: “Because they had never seen such a crazy person on the road.”
Laughing under cross-examination, he added: “Who says the style which I was driving was dangerous?
“I’ve seen a lot on the roads you can pull that (short-cut) off.
“Who says the style which I was driving was dangerous?”
“If there was someone else driving in the opposite direction at a high speed (and we crashed) they would be to blame.”
The trucker also told prosecutor Vivian Walters he drove the wrong-way on the hard shoulder to paint road signs, on behalf of Highways England. However, he was unanimously found guilty of dangerous driving.
Mista was handed a ten month prison sentence and, given he was kept on remand in October,
could be released imminently under the good behaviour rule.
The events unfolded when Mista mistakenly drove his box-truck down the Channel Tunnel’s approach road in Folkestone at 2pm in October last year.
Told he needed the ferry terminal in Dover, Mista reversed his Duzubasek Transport lorry, spun around, and took off London-bound at 20-30 MPH, stopping occasionally for traffic.
Representing himself, Mista explained he tried using a motorway lane by waving oncoming cars out the way, but was forced into the hard shoulder.
He continued for two and a half miles, spoke on his phone and even entered the inside carriageway on one occasion as motorists sounded their horns.
Det Con Lee Rowlinson witnessed the drama unfolding a mile from Junction 11, London-bound, as at least six vehicles
flashed their lights. Mista was then arrested.
He admitted in a police interview to using his phone and driving the wrong way but denied it was dangerous or he was frightened.
Mista, of no fixed UK abode, told the court he was a professional driver for six years, adding: “As far as I’m concerned this is not a serious matter.”
Recorder Richard Smith said: “Even though you may not have considered the situation dangerous, I’m sure those who saw you coming towards them at speed were both fearful and frightened. Moving against the flow of high speed traffic for 2.5 miles created an obvious risk of collision and risk of devastating fatal consequences.”
The judge added Mista’s previous good character and cooperation with police were mitigating factors. Mista now faces a three year driving ban.