A woman who fractured two ribs and almost lost her husband in a traffic accident in St Julians a week into the New Year recounted her experience in court yesterday.

Tessa-Ann Mangion was in a Peugeot 205 driven by her daughter, Vanessa, early on January 7 when a Land Rover, with 25-year-old Borislav Ilici at the wheel, swerved and smashed into them after he had allegedly crashed into another two vehicles just a few hours earlier.

Mrs Mangion, who was testifying in the compilation of evidence against the Serbian man from St Paul’s Bay and his 46-year-old mother, Tatjana Tesic, told Magistrate Audrey Demicoli that Mr Ilici’s driving was erratic.

“It’s crazy to drive like that. He must have been drunk or something,” she said.

Mr Ilici was driving his mother’s Land Rover when he was allegedly involved in three traffic accidents in the space of four hours.

Ms Tesic stands charged with allowing her car to be used by her son when he was not licensed or insured to drive and also with lying under oath at the police station.

Mrs Mangion was sitting in the passenger seat while her husband, 51-year-old Emanuel, and another woman, Frances Falzon, sat at the back. They were travelling from Sliema to St Julians at 5 a.m. as they had to clean an entertainment establishment that had just closed for the night.

Her daughter told the court that as soon as she took a turn near the Piccolo Padre restaurant she saw a “big car” swerving and heading her way, at times even moving onto her lane. She swerved onto the opposite lane to avoid impact but the Land Rover hit her car on the passenger side.

All three passengers managed to get out of the car unaided but her father was screaming in pain. Her mother was caught in the wreckage and Civil Protection Department personnel had to cut the car open to get her out.

She was hospitalised but she was only given painkillers for her fractured ribs. She had signed herself out of hospital because she had a disabled daughter who she had to look after. She said that had there not been an electricity pole to stop their car, they would have probably ended up in the sea.

Mr Mangion was in critical condition after tearing the muscle holding his diaphragm, which caused his lungs to collapse. He also had a lacerated lung. He was operated upon immediately and spent days in intensive care.

Mr Ilici is also charged with crashing into a Volkswagen in Ball Street, Paceville at about 1 a.m. and into a Kia at 4.45 a.m., slightly injuring the driver, Michael Gaffarena.

He also stands charged with failing to stop after the first two accidents, driving dangerously and recklessly, driving without insurance cover or a licence, failing to obey the rules of the road and lying under oath at the St Julians police station.

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