Individual who intervened to halt intoxicated Amazon driver states ‘I’m no hero’

Stephen Messenger, an Oxford resident, has declared he is “no hero” after sustaining a broken leg while confiscating keys from an Amazon driver who proceeded in the wrong direction up a slip road. Mr. Messenger was one of two men who attempted to stop the van after it had collided with multiple vehicles, but the driver tried to flee with Mr. Messenger clinging to the side. His leg fractured as he successfully removed the keys from the van’s ignition, bringing the vehicle to a stop. Adrian Dumitrache, 36, received a prison sentence of two years and 10 months after admitting guilt to charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and operating a vehicle above the legal alcohol limit. Dumitrache had driven the wrong way up a slip road on 21 June, approximately 11:45 BST, after traveling southbound on the A34 in Oxfordshire. Mr. Messenger recounted that he initially exited his car to inspect the damage after the van scraped past him. He stated, “As I got out, the driver [sped] off. When I caught up to the driver’s window and leaned in and said ‘stop’, he was off again.” While holding onto the side of the vehicle, the 55-year-old was subsequently caught between the van and an oncoming taxi, an incident that he later realized resulted in a broken leg. He recalled, “Just at that point I managed to get the keys out of the ignition, and he [Dumitrache] ended up in the ditch”. Reflecting on his thoughts at the time, Mr. Messenger said: “That he was a madman. I could smell the alcohol on him.” He further commented, “If he’d have carried on going, he could have quite easily hit somebody else and killed somebody.” Mr. Messenger added, “I’m not a hero in the matter. But I’m glad I stopped him in his tracks.” Mr. Messenger expressed that he was “shocked and surprised” by the absence of contact from Amazon since the event, labeling it “absolutely dreadful”. He also accused the company of neglecting their “eye off the ball” concerning the conduct of their drivers. An Amazon spokesperson issued a statement, saying: “This was appalling behaviour. “We have very high standards for our delivery service providers and this does not reflect the professional and dedicated people who work with them, delivering to customers across the country.” The spokesperson confirmed, “In this instance, the driver was permanently prevented from delivering Amazon parcels as soon as we were made aware of the incident.” Mr. Messenger, a self-employed mechanic, reported that he has been largely unable to work since breaking his leg. He continues to receive physiotherapy and may require knee surgery. For further information, BBC Oxfordshire is available on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC does not assume responsibility for the content of external sites. Details on their approach to external linking are accessible.