Filip Maslanka: Drink driver who flipped ute in front of cops at Avalon sentenced in Manly court
Shocked cops saw a speeding car, with a drink driver behind the wheel, lose control and fly 2m into the air right in front of them, a Sydney court’s been told.
Manly
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A drink driver speeding at 90km/h before flipping his ute several times in front of stunned Police Highway Patrol officers, has been sentenced in Manly Local Court.
Filip Maslanka had been on a boozy Friday night out on the northern beaches before driving home to his eastern suburbs flat when he lost control of his powerful VW Amarok on Barrenjoey Rd, Avalon Beach.
The 31-year-old house painter from Waverley, who was three times over the legal alcohol limit, slewed sideways into what locals have dubbed the “Kamikaze Corner” concrete roundabout about 10.39pm on February 4 this year.
Manly Court heard on Wednesday that the Highway Patrol Officers who were nearby after pulling over a car being driven by a P-plater, heard a screeching noise before they saw the ute became airborne, flying 2m above the roadway.
In a facts sheet tendered to court, the officers estimated the speed of the ute, which was heading south, before it hit the roundabout at the intersection of Barrenjoey, Old Barrenjoey and Plateau roads — just north of the Bilgola Bends — at between 80- and 90km/h.
“As the accused came closer to the intersection the rear end of the vehicle lost traction and drifted sideways,” the facts sheet stated.
Maslanka tried to regain control but hit the raised concrete roundabout at high speed.
“The accused’s vehicle became airborne, being 2m clear of the road surface. The front of the vehicle nosedived and landed against the Armco (steel safety) fence on the eastern side of Barrenjoey Rd, causing the vehicle to flip, lengthways, several times.
“The vehicle somersaulted down a small embankment and landed on The Serpentine”.
The court heard that police ran to the ute and saw Maslanka climbing from the driver’s seat.
When he was asked to hand over his licence, he did not respond, but just stood motionless in the road. Officers then asked him several times what had happened, and again he did not respond.
Police found an international driver’s licence, issued in Poland, in Maslanka’s possession. The court heard he has been in Australia for about three years.
An ambulance was called, but paramedics found no apparent injuries.
At Mona Vale Police Station Maslanka blew 0.157. He was charged with high-range drink-driving.
He told police he had only drank two Hahn low carb beers between 8pm and 9.30pm, but had nothing to eat that evening.
In the facts sheet police stated that, in their opinion, he was “well affected by intoxicating liquor”.
While in custody, he told officers “it could have been worse”.
His solicitor Mark Kyrakos told the court that the outcome of the incident could have been “catastrophic” and someone could have been killed.
Mr Kyrakos said Maslanka had been out drinking on the northern beaches and had decided to drive home to the eastern suburbs.
The police prosecutor said the offence warranted a jail sentence.
Magistrate Robyn Denes convicted Maslanka and sentenced him to a two-year Community Corrections Order to be of good behaviour. She also disqualified him from driving for nine months, fined him $1000 and ordered that he complete 120 hours of community work.
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