A factory worker who survived after being hit by a van driven by a suspected triple killer has been released from hospital to enjoy Father’s Day with his daughter.
Marcin Gawronski, 40, miraculously suffered only minor wounds to his head, arm and leg after the vehicle ploughed into him and two other victims, named as Wayne Birkett and Sharon Miller.
Valdo Calocane, 31, has been charged with their attempted murder following the attack in Nottingham during the early hours of Tuesday.
He is also accused of stabbing to death 19-year-old University of Nottingham students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar as well as 65-year-old school caretaker Ian Coates earlier that morning.
Mr Gawronski – originally from Poland – had been about to start work last week when he was struck by the van, which is believed to have been stolen from the last victim, Mr Coates.
Marcin Gawronski (pictured), 40, miraculously suffered only minor wounds to his head, arm and leg after the vehicle ploughed into him and two other victims, named as Wayne Birkett and Sharon Miller
Valdo Calocane (pictured left), 31, has been charged with their attempted murder following the attack in Nottingham during the early hours of Tuesday
Mr Gawronski (left) can spend today with his wife Samanta (right) and their five-year-old daughter to celebrate Father’s Day – a day he thought might never come
A friend added: ‘We’re pleased to see him home. He was in hospital for 24-hours and we were all worried about him but he can now spend Father’s Day with his family. ‘Marcin had been up early for work. He’s a grafter, up at all hours, seven days a week, to provide for his wife and daughter’ (pictured: Marcin, his wife Samanta and their daughter)
But speaking at his end-terrace home in the north of Nottingham, Mr Gawronski shrugged off his injuries, which have left him walking with a limp.
He told MailOnline: ‘I was hit by the van, but I can’t say anything, the police have told me not to. I’m feeling ok now, I was released from hospital on Wednesday.’
It means Mr Gawronski can spend today with his wife Samanta and their five-year-old daughter to celebrate Father’s Day – a day he thought might never come.
A friend added: ‘We’re pleased to see him home. He was in hospital for 24-hours and we were all worried about him but he can now spend Father’s Day with his family.
‘Marcin had been up early for work. He’s a grafter, up at all hours, seven days a week, to provide for his wife and daughter.
‘It was awful what happened. He had a bump to his head and he’s suffered injuries to his leg and arm and he’s walking with a limp but to be honest he could have been more seriously wounded or even killed.’
Another of those hit by the van, Ms Miller, also returned home last night.
The 44-year-old arrived back at her semi-detached house near Nottingham Racecourse just after 7pm on crutches with a protective boot on her foot.
She declined to comment but her partner Martin accompanying her out of the taxi gave the thumbs up as they opened the front door.
He said: ‘Sharon is really lucky to be alive. I just want to thank all the paramedics, police and doctors and hospital staff for all they’ve done for her.
‘At the moment she is just too traumatised to talk about what happened.’
The third person hit by a van, Mr Birkett, 58, was the most seriously injured. He had been in a critical condition in hospital but is now stable.
He was hit by the vehicle on Milton Street in Nottingham while Mr Gawronski and Ms Miller were both struck on nearby Upper Parliament Street.
Medical student Grace O’Malley-Kumar (pictured) and history student Barnaby Webber were found fatally knifed on Ilkeston Road at around 4am. Miss O’Malley-Kumar’s family described her as a ‘truly wonderful and beautiful young lady’ who would be ‘so dearly missed’
The family of Barnaby Webber (pictured) described their ‘complete devastation’ at the ‘senseless murder of our son’, saying he was a ‘beautiful, brilliant, bright young man, with everything in life to look forward to’
Mr Coates (pictured) was then found dead in Magdala Road about an hour later. Two of Mr Coates’ sons said his death had ‘rocked everyone’s world’, adding: ‘Nobody deserves this but he definitely didn’t’
The police watchdog has confirmed it is now investigating whether the driver of a marked police car had sight of the van for ‘less than a minute’ before it collided with Mr Gawronski and Ms Miller.
Calocane, originally from Guinea-Bissau in West Africa but who grew up in West Wales, is accused of stealing the van after allegedly killing Mr Coates, Mr Webber and Miss O’Malley-Kumar.
He yesterday appeared at Nottingham Magistrates Court charged with three counts of murder and three of attempted murder.
Dressed all in grey, Calocane gave his name as an alias – ”Adam Mendes’ – and confirmed his date of birth and the fact he was of no fixed abode.
He was remanded in custody and will appear before Nottingham Crown Court next Tuesday.
Calocane (pictured right), originally from Guinea-Bissau in West Africa but who grew up in West Wales, is accused of stealing the van after allegedly killing Mr Coates, Mr Webber and Miss O’Malley-Kumar. He yesterday appeared at Nottingham Magistrates Court charged with three counts of murder and three of attempted murder
Mr Gawronski – originally from Poland – had been about to start work last week when he was struck by the van (pictured), which is believed to have been stolen from the last victim, Mr Coates. Another of those hit by the van, Sharon Miller, also returned home last night. The third person hit by a van, Wayne Birkett, 58, was the most seriously injured. He had been in a critical condition in hospital but is now stable
Medical student Miss O’Malley-Kumar and history student Mr Webber were found fatally knifed on Ilkeston Road at around 4am.
Mr Coates was then found dead in Magdala Road about an hour later.
The family of Mr Webber described their ‘complete devastation’ at the ‘senseless murder of our son’, saying he was a ‘beautiful, brilliant, bright young man, with everything in life to look forward to’.
Miss O’Malley-Kumar’s family described her as a ‘truly wonderful and beautiful young lady’ who would be ‘so dearly missed’.
Two of Mr Coates’ sons said his death had ‘rocked everyone’s world’, adding: ‘Nobody deserves this but he definitely didn’t.’
Police revealed Calocane was a former University of Nottingham student, but said ‘this is not believed to be connected with the attack’.
