Drunk driver seen staggering to his car before killing Manchester church volunteer in crash

Shocking footage shows a drunk and drugged-up disqualified driver staggering to his vehicle before he caused the death of a ‘selfless’ young man in a horror crash in Manchester.

Reckless Ryan McElroy, 35, was more than three times the drink-drive limit when he killed church volunteer Louis Dube, 25, on December 5 last year.

McElroy’s Vauxhall Crossland was travelling at up to 60mph when it ploughed into the car Louis was travelling in as he returned from church with a friend.

McElroy had been drinking all day, had taken Diazepam and was disqualified from driving following a recent drink-driving conviction, prosecutors said in court.

Footage shows him struggling to walk down a flight of stairs and out into his powerful motor then veering off the road as he drove away. Just minutes later he ploughed into the Insignia while driving at 60mph in a 30mph zone in Mount Road, Gorton.

Prosecutors said there was no evidence to indicate he applied the brakes or attempted to slow down before the collision.

Louis, a passenger in the saloon vehicle, died in hospital three days later when his life support machine was turned off. The driver suffered a fractured pelvis and continues to recover from her injuries.

When cops from Greater Manchester Police arrived at the scene they found McElroy slumped in a chair. He gave them a false name and claimed he had been the back seat passenger in the Crossland, which had been driven by ‘Dave from Broughton’. He then contradicted himself and told paramedics he had been the front seat passenger.

Prosecutors said he wasn’t wearing any shoes and sliders were found in the driver’s footwell.

McElroy failed to provide a roadside breath sample, but later provided a blood sample which contained 274 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

Blood toxicology test showed he had diazepam in his system, which was below the legal limit.

McElroy was jailed for 11 years on Thursday after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified at Manchester Crown Court.

‘It has changed me as a person forever’

In her victim impact statement, the driver of the car said: “I stayed in hospital until Friday 9 December 2022 and I went straight to Salford Royal Hospital to see Louis.

“When I was told they were switching off his life support machine I remember feeling like every bone had just been shattered in my body and the worst emotional pain I have ever felt in my life at this point.

“This incident has completely broken me. It has completely changed my life and turned it completely upside down.

“I am a child of God and forgiveness is part of my very fibre and whatever made the man who did this do what he did, I forgive him. But I cannot say that his actions haven’t changed me as a person forever.”

Louis’ mother Nompi said in her victim impact statement: “Louis was not only my son, but he was also my best friend, my mentor and the spiritual giant of our house.

“I now have a hole in my heart that no-one will ever fill. When I sit and talk about Louis, I now have to live with the fact that I will never see him again.

“I will never see him married or have children of his own. I now have this persistent, intense yearning and sadness. I miss Louis so much.

“There is no break, every day in my mind there is a repeat, a record player of the insistent troubling thoughts and images of my son lying in a hospital bed, unconscious. I felt so helpless, I wanted to take his place, but I couldn’t.

“I would like to say to Ryan’s family that I hope you too can help Ryan find a meaningful purpose for his life.

“I sincerely release my pain of losing Louis through forgiveness. My heart breaks for you because you have lost him to a prison cell; I am deeply sorry for your loss.”

His brother Emmanuel further said in tribute: “Louis was my role model, and nothing was ever too much. He showed love to everybody and would drop everything to help you.”

Chief Inspector Ronald Neilson, from the Greater Manchester Police, branded McElroy a “dangerous and reckless” individual after his sentencing.

He said: “My thoughts are of course with Louis’s family and loved ones at the difficult and saddening time.

“I truly hope that the sentencing of Ryan McElroy – a dangerous and reckless individual – brings your family and loved ones some form of closure.

“Ryan McElroy’s actions that evening was appalling and sickening. He knowingly and willingly chose to drive his car that evening whilst intoxicated on drugs and alcohol.

“He showed absolutely no regard for the law or other road users that evening.

“Sadly, Louis and his friend were caught in the crossfire of his shameful actions and now we have lost another life to reckless driving.”