Drug driver jailed after crashing car while police office hung onto side
Josef Zielinski sentenced to four years after dragging officer and crashing into another vehicle while attempting to flee police
A drug dealer who crashed a car while a police officer was hung onto the side of it has been jailed for four years.
Josef Zielinski appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday 6 February. The 33-year-old, of Arboretum Place, Barking, Greater London, was jailed for four years and given a three-year driving ban for drugs, driving and other offences.
On 8 November 2025, Zielinski reversed his vehicle after being stopped in Sudbury in relation to drug offences.
He also smashed into a vehicle behind that had stopped, damaging both vehicles, before he was arrested.
The officer hanging onto the vehicle that Zielinski was driving only suffered minor injuries.
Officers stopped a vehicle in Sudbury that had been linked by public intelligence to drug supply.
When they approached the driver, Zielinski, he suddenly reversed the car after an officer opened the door. One officer was knocked down and dragged as the vehicle reversed and hit another car, while PC Owen Turner had to jump into the vehicle and cling on.
Although PC Turner briefly switched off the engine, Zielinski restarted it before being removed and detained.
After searching the vehicle, officers found ten wraps of cocaine, which Zielinski had discarded during the struggle.
He was then taken into custody and later charged with multiple offences.
Pleading guilty at court in December. He was sentenced on 6 February to the following:
- Possession with intent to supply Class A drugs (cocaine) - two years and nine months
- Dangerous driving - one year and three months (to be served consecutively)
- Assault occasioning actual bodily harm - 17 weeks (to be served concurrently)
- Criminal damage – nine weeks (to be served concurrently)
PC Owen Turner said:
“I conduct vehicle stops daily and what I thought would be a simple stop left me thinking that I might die and that my colleague and friend was either seriously injured or dead.
“What Zielinski did showed his only desire was to escape, with no regard for anyone other than himself. This is something that I will never forget and it will stay with me forever.”