Driver Jailed for Six Months After Crash Leaves Musician with Life-Altering Injuries

Dublin, October 21: A 27-year-old driver who struck a musician on his way home from work, leaving him with catastrophic and lifelong injuries, has been sentenced to six months in prison.

Mihail Trofim

The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Mihail Trofim, of The Copse, Citywest Demesne, Tallaght, failed to appear for his sentencing earlier this year after pleading guilty to careless driving causing serious bodily harm and driving without valid insurance. A bench warrant issued in April was executed in September after Trofim voluntarily contacted gardaí.

The victim — a 32-year-old musician and technician — attended court in a wheelchair for each hearing. He required emergency surgery following the June 8, 2022, collision on the Old Navan Road, Blanchardstown, and remained unconscious for 14 weeks. He continues to suffer from a severe brain injury that has left him unable to play music, paint, or live independently.

In a statement read by his mother, the court heard that he feels “robbed of the life he had” and “encapsulated in a body that doesn’t work as it should.” He said he can no longer do the things that once made him happy.

Court Findings and Sentencing

Judge Martin Nolan, delivering the sentence yesterday, noted that Trofim was travelling between 83 and 88 km/h in a 60 km/h zone and failed to account for the low evening sun that obstructed his visibility. Although the victim crossed at an unauthorised point, the judge said Trofim should have exercised greater caution.

He also criticised the accused for his delay in attending sentencing, stating that Trofim “did not have the courage or gumption to show up” and had caused further distress to the victim and his family. Calling his absence an aggravating factor, Judge Nolan said the manner in which Trofim handled the case added to their trauma.

“The victim’s injuries are devastating. He will live with them for the rest of his life,” the judge said, adding that the man’s supportive family would continue to bear the burden.

Trofim was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and disqualified from driving for five years.

The Incident

According to Sergeant Paul McDonnell, the victim was crossing the road around 8:15 p.m. when Trofim’s Mercedes struck him. After the impact, Trofim turned his car around and returned to the scene, reportedly saying, “I couldn’t see. The sun — I couldn’t see.”

The court heard that Trofim, who has no previous convictions, was cooperative and expressed genuine remorse. He told officers that he was blinded by the sunlight at the time of the crash.

Medical reports submitted to the court described the victim’s extensive injuries — multiple fractures, brain trauma, and long-term neurological damage. He spent more than a year in hospital, including time at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, and now requires 24-hour care.

Life After the Accident

The victim suffers from double vision, slurred speech, and limited limb movement. Once a talented musician and artist, he is now unable to play instruments or paint due to impaired coordination and vision. He uses an electric wheelchair for mobility and depends on his family for daily care.

His mother, in a powerful victim impact statement, said the family’s life has been transformed.

“He feels trapped,” she said. “He was healthy, fit, and independent before the accident. Now he needs constant support. We had to move counties, adapt our home, and buy a wheelchair-accessible car. Our lives have completely changed.”

She described her son’s depression and social withdrawal, noting that he struggles to meet friends and feels self-conscious about his speech.

“He doesn’t feel lucky to have survived,” she said. “He’s lost his independence, his art, and his music.”

The man’s own statement, read aloud in court, echoed the same pain:

“I’m encapsulated in a body that doesn’t work as it should. I’m no longer able to do the things that made me happy. Even playing with the dog is impossible now. My friends are moving on with their lives — getting married, buying houses — and I feel like a burden.”

Mitigating Factors

Defence counsel James Dwyer SC told the court that Trofim, a Moldovan national, had been defrauded by a broker who sold him fake motor insurance — a known issue affecting Eastern European motorists in Dublin.

He described Trofim as a man of good character, who abstains from alcohol and drugs, and helps care for an injured family member. Trofim had also donated money to charity following the crash.

“He was careless — when the sun was blinding, he should have slowed down,” Mr. Dwyer said. “But this was not a case of high moral culpability. It was an act of negligence with catastrophic consequences.”

The court heard that the maximum penalty for careless driving causing serious bodily harm is two years in prison and a fine of €10,000.

Judge Nolan concluded by expressing his sympathies to the victim and his family, commending their strength in enduring an ordeal that has changed their lives forever.