Taj Maryska pleads guilty to causing crash while drunk at Empire Bay

A young Central Coast man who was already disqualified from driving for five years was drunk behind the wheel when he smashed into another car, causing a woman to be hospitalised.

Taj Maryska, pleaded guilty to a number of charges in the Gosford Local Court on Tuesday

A 19-year-old man from Matcham, who had previously been disqualified from driving for five years, was drunk behind the wheel when he crashed into another car, resulting in a woman being hospitalised.

Taj Maryska pleaded guilty to multiple charges in Gosford Local Court on Tuesday, the most serious being taking and driving a car without permission, negligent driving, mid-range drink driving, and failing to provide particulars to an injured person.

Maryska had been staying at a woman’s place on November 18, 2024 when he took her vehicle without her permission while she was sleeping.

At about 7.40 am, Maryska was driving on Empire Bay Drive when he veered onto the wrong side of the road and collided with another car, causing significant damage to both vehicles.

The victim was trapped in her vehicle, while Maryska exited his car and left the scene without attempting to assist her.

According to the police facts, emergency services arrived shortly after and began treating the female driver, who was transported to hospital with minor injuries.

“While police were speaking with NSW Fire and Rescue, they observed a male matching the description of the driver who had fled the scene on foot,” the police facts state.

Police asked Maryska if he was the driver involved in the crash, to which he replied, “Yes.”

When asked if he had been drinking, he responded, “No.”

Maryska was breath-tested at the scene, arrested, and taken to Woy Woy Police Station.

At the station, he was questioned about his alcohol consumption before the crash. Police noted that he smelled of alcohol, his eyes were “bloodshot and glazed,” and he was slurring his words.

Maryska returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.130.

He told police he had been travelling from the Mantra to pick up a mate and was looking at his phone when he drifted onto the wrong side of the road.

Maryska will be sentenced at a later date.

Originally published as Taj Maryska pleads guilty to causing crash while drunk at Empire Bay