Liverpool lorry driver jailed after falling asleep at wheel on M6

This is the shocking moment a lorry driver from Liverpool crashed into cars over 40mph on the M6 after falling asleep at the wheel

Dascham footage has been released from West Midlands Police after 47-year-old Mariusz Wlazlo, from Speke crashed his HGV into two cars near Wolverhampton.

A woman spent weeks in hospital where she was treated for broken ribs and fractures to vertebrae.

The M6 southbound was closed for 90 minutes after the crash, which happened at around 9.40pm on 15 March this year.

At the scene, Wlazlo told police: “I think I went to sleep for a moment. I can’t explain as I don’t remember. It was like a dream."

Wlazlo, who held a full, clean UK driving licence and had no record of motoring offences in his home country of Poland, initially denied causing serious injury by dangerous driving

He changed his plea to guilty and was jailed for 16 months at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 29 November.

Wkazlo, of Alderwood Avenue, Liverpool, was also banned from driving for three years and eight months, and ordered to take an extended re-test.

Pc Gareth Phillips , of the Central Motorway Police Group, said: “The collision has had a devastating impact on the victim in the Polo.

“Although she has made a physical recovery, she now feels unable to drive on the motorway.

“Wlazlo was clearly not paying attention and indeed was accelerating into stationary traffic at the time of impact. It shows just how important it is to keep fully focussed on the road and surrounding conditions, and to always abide by the speed limit as displayed on gantry signs. If the speed he had been travelling had been any higher, this collision would likely have had fatal consequences.