Scunthorpe man jailed for causing the death of his partner and seriously injuring his child
The 35-year-old admitted responsibility for a fatal crash on the M180
A man from Scunthorpe has been sentenced for causing the death of his partner and serious injury to his 18-month-old son following a road traffic collision on the M180 in January earlier this year.
Marius Dencea, aged 35 of Berkeley Street in Scunthorpe, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
During his appearance at Hull Crown Court today, he has been sentenced to nine years in prison and has been disqualified from driving for seven years.
On the morning of Sunday, 5th January, Dencea was driving westbound on the M180 between Barnetby Top and Scunthorpe accompanied by his partner, 34-year-old Roxana Pitigoi and their 18-month-old son who were seated in the back of the car, neither of which wearing a seatbelt or secured in a car seat.
During treacherous conditions, Dencea was driving at speed in lane 3 of the motorway which was covered in a layer of melting snow, before he lost control of the vehicle which veered across all 3 lanes and the hard shoulder, where it left the road, overturned and collided with a tree.
As a result of the collision, Roxana sustained critical injuries and was taken hospital, were she sadly died the following day despite the efforts of medical professionals.
Their son also suffered serious injuries and his life was likely saved thanks to the swift intervention of a passing doctor prior to the arrival of emergency services.
Dencea failed a roadside breath test and his vehicle was found to be unroadworthy due to two defective rear tyres which both had cord exposed. He was subsequently arrested at the scene and later charged with the offences of causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving and was remanded into custody.
Senior Investigating Officer Inspector John Rickells said:
“This was a deeply tragic and avoidable incident that has destroyed a family. A young woman has lost her life far too soon, and a young child’s future has been changed in one second. The pain and trauma for those left behind is immeasurable.
“Dencea made a chain of catastrophic decisions that day. He willingly chose to drive in dangerous weather, in an unroadworthy vehicle, under the influence of alcohol and at excessive speed, all while failing to ensure his partner and child were safely secured inside the vehicle.
“His actions showed a total lack of concern for his own safety, for the lives of his family, and for the safety of the wider public.
“No one ever expects a journey to end in tragedy, but this case serves as a stark reminder of what happens when a driver fails to respect the road. Seatbelts and car seats are not optional extras, they save lives.
“One second of poor judgement can have lifelong consequences.”