Drink-driver fled the scene after crashing into fence at railway crossing

A woman fled the scene of a crash after drink-driving – before lying to the police about where she had been.Officers attended the scene of the incident which saw Anna Rutkowska, 48, collide with a metal fence at the railway crossing on Tennyson Avenue.Her Citroen C4 had been deserted, having suffered substantial damage – but Rutkowska and the car keys were nowhere to be seen.

She was traced to her home at Clifton Road in South Wootton, where a police sergeant determined she had been drinking.She had marks across her face as a result of her car’s air bags being deployed, but refused on multiple occasions to perform a breath test.Rutkowska told officers she did not know where her car was and denied having been in a crash, claiming she had work in the morning. Asked if she was drunk, she said no – although she was slurring her words.She repeatedly said she was upset because of family issues, with her confused emotional state resulting in her laughing, crying and displaying anger within short spells of one another. After being arrested and taken into custody, she did consent to evidential tests – with results revealing she had 111mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.The legal limit to drive is 80mg.Police were able to confirm Rutkowska had been driving at the time of the crash by her saliva, which was found on the airbags. Rutkowska appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where she pleaded guilty to drink-driving and failing to stop after the crash.In mitigation, solicitor Ruth Johnson said the defendant had been drinking the day before the collision – which occurred shortly before 4am.She said: “There is the possibility that she didn’t have a great deal to eat. Her recollection after drinking with friends is being woken up by the police.“She remembers being quite confused – she remembers being incredibly upset.” Ms Johnson said this was because Rutkowska’s father is currently suffering with poor health in a Peterborough hospital.“She fully understands the consequences and conviction for drink-driving, and the fact that her disqualification will clearly impact her ability to travel to and from Peterborough,” the solicitor added.“Your worships, she is an incredibly hard working lady. She presently works as a cleaner.”Magistrates banned Rutkowska from driving for 16 months, but offered her a drink-driving awareness course which could reduce that term if completed.She will also pay a £138 fine, £55 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.