Shoplifter high on cocaine who killed a lorry driver after smashing into him at 90mph after a stealing spree is jailed for nine years

By DAN WOODLAND[1]

Published: 20:31, 21 January 2025 | Updated: 20:47, 21 January 2025

A 'daredevil' motorist who killed a lorry driver while driving at 90mph after a shoplifting spree has been jailed for over nine years.

Ross Neiland, 38, had taken cocaine and was both uninsured and unlicensed when he caused a horrific three-car smash that killed Michal Kaminski, 36, on February 21 last year.

Before getting behind the wheel, Neiland had gone on a stealing 'spree' and was later spotted 'zooming' past other drivers of a Hampshire stretch of the M27 at speeds of over 93 mph.

Neiland was driving in heavy rain and 'lost control' of his car after hitting an area of 'sitting water', Southampton Crown Court heard.

This caused him to crash into the driver of a Nissan Juke, which then hit into the lorry driven by Mr Kaminiski. The HGV then smashed into a gantry on the side of the road, killing Mr Kaminski 'instantaneously'.

It was heard that after the collision Neiland was 'preoccupied' with offloading goods like a toaster and Sports Direct bag from his car, instead of checking on Mr Kaminski.

Neiland, who described as smelling of alcohol[2], and acting as if he had been drinking or taking drugs, then tried to 'flee the scene' before he was restrained by two members of the public.

Neiland was sentenced to nine years and nine months in prison for killing Mr Kaminski, with a judge saying the lorry driver's death was 'utterly avoidable'.

Ross Neiland, 38, was jailed for nine years after killing a lorry driver while driving at 90mph after a shoplifting spree

Michal Kaminski, 36, died in a horrific three-car smash caused by Neiland in February last year

The scene after the crash and before Mr Kaminski's lorry caught fire.

Authorities were forced to shut off a 15 mile stretch of the major motorway for over a day following the incident

The court heard the crash took place on the M27 between junction seven and junction five on February 21 last year.

Martyn Booth, prosecuting, said Mr Kaminski was going about his 'normal work routine' as a lorry driver while Neiland was speeding in his black Volkswagen Polo.

The court heard there was no evidence of 'any bad driving' from Mr Kaminski, who was travelling in a Mercedes-Benz Atego.

'The defendant on the other hand was, on the face of it, on a shoplifting spree with two others,' Mr Booth said.

'On the morning in question, he left an address in Littlehampton (West Sussex) and travelled to Portsmouth where theft had taken place.

'This was before he and others had made their way towards Southampton, and he was travelling towards Southampton at the time of this collision.'

Mr Booth said Neiland and his accomplices had stolen goods from an Aldi supermarket and golf store.

The court heard that while Neiland was travelling up the road, other motorists spotted his poor driving.

The HGV later caught on fire on the opposite carriageway following the horrific crash

The blaze is seen on the other side of the motorway underneath one of the gantrys

Damage caused to the concrete pillar of the overhead gantry back in February, with the remains of the lorry seen behind it

National Highways workers on the scene after the horrific crash last year

One driver said it looked as though he was 'showing off' while others said he was 'zooming' and 'flying' up the road 'like a daredevil'.

Neilands driving was also described as 'horrendous', 'reckless', 'dangerous', and 'absolutely idiotic' by other road users.

The prosecutor said the road conditions were poor that day and it was heavily raining with 'pooling' water on the concrete meaning visibility was impacted.

The motorist was described as 'really battering on' despite the road conditions and he was spotted moving from side to side.

'He failed to give any thought to the condition he was driving in whatsoever,' Mr Booth added.

At midday, Neiland 'lost control' of his car - which he was driving at 93.96 miles per hour - after hitting an area of 'sitting water' on the motorway.

He strayed from lane four into lane three before crashing into the driver of a Nissan Juke, which then hit into the lorry driven by Mr Kaminiski.

The heavy goods vehicle then jolted into and 'embedded' into gantry on the side of the road, killing Mr Kaminski 'instantaneously'.

Two members of the public restrained Neiland from escaping and he was described as being 'verbally abusive', spitting, smelling of alcohol, and acting as if he had been drinking or taking drugs.

Mr Kaminski's (pictured) mother Anna told the court her son was the 'most loved person' who never said no to people and always wanted to help

She added that she would no longer be able to live a normal life without Michal (pictured)

Michal Kaminski pictured with members of his family before his death last year

The court heard that Neiland was not insured on the car and was driving without having ever had a full license.

And, while he tested positive to having 'cocaine in his system' - he did not give authorities full permission to test his blood so they could not ascertain if he was drink or drug driving.

The victim's mother Anna told the court her son was the 'most loved person' who never said no to people and always wanted to help.

'You killed us too,' she told Neiland. 'Longing is just killing us.

'You all killed our will to live, you all made us feel insane.

'He won't hug us anymore.

We long for his smile, smell.

We can't live a normal life without Michal.'

Tom Horder, defending, said Neiland has been suffering 'regular flashbacks' of the accident and 'deeply wishes he could have changed what happened'.

Judge Peter Henry sentenced Neiland to nine years and nine months in prison for killing Mr Kaminski, from Salisbury, Wiltshire.

He said: '[Mr Kaminski] was a person with hope and ambition, a responsible man trying to make a living and make a positive contribution to society.

'As his mother said in a very moving statement, you took the most loved person in the whole world.

'I find it very difficult to accept you as a victim in this case.

'You seem to contribute very little to society but you are quite happy to take from it, whether it is stealing or acting irresponsibly to those around you.'

Judge Young said the collision was 'almost inevitable' due to the excessive speeds driven by Neilands and the 'obvious dangerous maneuverers'.

'[Mr Kaminski's] death was utterly avoidable - even if you had thought for a moment about other people on the road,' the judge continued.

'This was a complete tragedy for the family and friends of Mr Kaminski and the court is very sympathetic with them.'

After the collision, which took place near Southampton Airport, authorities were forced to shut off a 15 mile stretch of the major motorway for over a day.

Neiland, from Littlehampton, West Sussex, previously pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving uninsured, and causing death by driving unlicensed.

He also accepted a charge of failing to give specimen for analysis.

References

1. ^ DAN WOODLAND (www.dailymail.co.uk)
2. ^ alcohol (www.dailymail.co.uk)