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Three people were left seriously injured after a speeding driver boasted to pub-goers about how fast his car could go - just moments before he crashed into a wall and then feld the scene.
Drew Philippidis, 25, had been at a pub in Minchinhampton in the Cotswolds on August 9, 2024 and was overheard telling a group of people he would show them how fast his car could go.
That night, at around 11.30pm he left the pub with four passengers in his Seat Leon. The passengers in the car, among them two 17-year-olds and a woman in her 20s, pleaded with Philippidis to slow down as CCTV footage showed the vehicle speeding away from the town and a witness reported Phlippidis nearly hit her vehicle.
Moments later, Philippidis lost control of the car and smashed into a wall at the junction of Butt Street and Cirencester Road. He fled the scene, leaving his seriously wounded passengers behind. He was eventually found the following morning and arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, as GloucestershireLive reports.
All four passengers were taken to hospital while Gloucestershire Police searched the area for Philippidis with a dog unit and a police helicopter.
Three of Philippidis' four passengers were seriously injured. One 17-year-old boy required extensive surgery to stabilise his spine. As a result of this, he can no longer pursue his dreams of playing professional rugby. Another spent a week in intensive care at Southmead Hospital after undergoing major spinal surgery to repair broken vertebrae.
One of the passengers said: "We were all screaming frantically at the driver to slow down and stop the car, all of which he ignored."
In a victim impact statement read during sentencing at Gloucester Crown Court, he said: "Moments before the accident we were all screaming frantically at the driver to slow down and stop the car, all of which he ignored.
"The impact of the collision has been huge for me both mentally and physically, and it has required huge determination to fully recover physically.
"The fact that Philippidis ran away from the scene not knowing whether we were dead or alive and did not call emergency services shows the type of person that he is."
A young woman spent a week in intensive car at Southmead Hospital after she underwent major spinal surgery to repair broken vertebrae which she sustained in the crash.
In her impact statement, she said the minutes before the crash "are etched in my memory".
"The sheer terror inside the vehicle is something I cannot erase.
"Despite our repeated pleas for the driver to slow down, we were ignored.
"I watched as the wall drew closer, feeling utterly powerless - these images replay in my mind relentlessly.
"I relive it in flashbacks, in nightmares - it consumes me and does not go away.
"This incident has had a huge impact on my life. I carry mental and physiological scars for which I continue to receive counselling and support for and will do for some time to come.
"I later learned that the break in my neck was just 2mm away from my spinal cord - meaning I came incredibly close to being paralysed."
A third victim, who was also 17 at the time of the crash, said: "Our pleas for Philippidis to slow down were ignored and he just went faster and more out of control, driving dangerously. He was gambling with our lives like it meant nothing."
While in custody, Philippidis was interviewed twice by officers and asked to give his account of events but declined to comment both times.
He was released on bail and later charged with three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving in May 2024.
He pleaded guilty to all three counts and was sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court on Tuesday, August 19.
Philippidis, of Windsoredge in Nailsworth, was jailed for 34 months and has been banned from driving for 47 months. He will be required to take an extended re-test after that time.
Officer in the case PC Chris Horwood-Jones said: "I hope this sentence brings some closure for the victims and their families and goes to show that the courts will act positively against drivers who wilfully disregard traffic regulations and cause serious injuries to other people.
"This crash was horrific and has had long-lasting effects on these young people, leaving some with both severe physical and psychological suffering.