Hero Wolverhampton driver handed award after he used lorry to save life
When Marcin Fijalkowski saw a car weaving across a busy motorway he didn't have much time to come up with a plan, but what he dreamt up could have been straight from a film scene.
Using his lorry, he gently nudged the car and slowly squashed it against the central reservation until it came to a stop.
In doing so, Polish-born Mr Fijalkowski likely saved the life of the driver, who was slumped over the steering wheel after falling ill, as well as possibly saving other lives on the road that day.
The 35-year-old lorry driver's actions have been recognised with a West Midlands Ambulance Service Chief Officer Commendation. He was nominated for the award by paramedics who attended the incident.
Mr Fijalkowski, of Pendeford, Wolverhampton, was driving his K Transport Services lorry south along the M5, between junctions one for West Bromwich and five for Droitwich, in June when he saw the car.
After following the swerving car for a few minutes, Mr Fijalkowski decided to take action: "I decided to do something otherwise someone would be killed."
When the car finally came to a standstill, they could not get inside as the doors were locked, Mr Fijalkowski said: "I had to use my hand to smash the passenger window."
The driver, a man in his 60s, was slumped over his steering wheel. Mr Fijalkowski said: "I have been told another five minutes and he would have died. I was in the right place at the right time."
