A verdict was handed down yesterday in one of the most shocking cases of recent years. Łukasz Żak, who drove drunk at 226 km/h along Warsaw’s Łazienkowska Route, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. The tragedy claimed the life of a 37-year-old father.
What happened on September 15, 2024?
That evening, Żak was driving a Volkswagen at an enormous speed – more than two and a half times higher than the permitted 80 km/h. He filmed his drive on his phone, as if it were just a bit of fun. At one point, he crashed into a Ford carrying a family of four returning home.
The force of the collision was enormous. The 37-year-old father died at the scene. His wife and their children, aged 4 and 8, were taken to hospital with serious injuries. Żak fled the scene without providing any assistance.
A driver's history full of red flags
This was not the first time Żak had got behind the wheel after drinking. The man had already been repeatedly convicted of driving under the influence. He also had an active court ban on driving. Despite this, he got back into a car – this time with devastating consequences.
The court verdict – what was ruled?
The Warsaw-Śródmieście District Court sentenced Łukasz Żak to 20 years in prison – the maximum possible penalty for this offence. The verdict is not yet final.
In addition, the prosecution had requested a lifetime driving ban and substantial compensation for the victim’s family.
Why did this case shake all of Poland?
The tragedy on the Łazienkowska Route has become a symbol of a problem we have been struggling with for years: repeat offending by drunk drivers. People are asking loudly – how many more people must die before the system effectively removes such offenders from the roads?
The victim’s family has lost a husband and father. The children will grow up without their dad. These are not dry statistics – these are real, shattered lives.
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