Stolen SUV crash 'a murder,' family says

Family members of a Winnipeg man killed after a stolen and speeding SUV slammed into his car gathered Sunday to grieve, and to angrily speak out against offenders involved in the city's auto-theft subculture.

Zdzislaw Andrzejczak, 47, a city auto mechanic, died in hospital Friday from injuries suffered in the crash, which happened at the intersection of Andrews Street and Alfred Avenue about 3 p.m. CT.

Police are searching for three suspects who fled from a 2005 Hummer H2 that ran a stop sign and slammed into Andrzejczak's small car. Investigators confirmed on Sunday that the large SUV was stolen.

"It was not an accident, it was a murder," Andrzejczak's brother-in-law, Andrew Piec, said.

Witnesses said at least one person who was in the vehicle looked very young.

"It's the same old, same old," said Piec, of the news that people under 18 might have been involved.

Winnipeg has long battled a problem of auto thefts committed by a hard-core group of underage chronic thieves who steal cars and drive them dangerously on city streets.

Six Manitobans have been killed by stolen vehicles since 2007.

Piec said he expects that if the culprits turn out to be underage car thieves, they'll be given an easy ride by the justice system.

"They'll go scot-free with a slap on the wrist and be out to do it again next year," he said.

Piec said if a similar crime were to happen in the family's native Poland, those responsible would spend a minimum of 15 years behind bars.

The victim's daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Andrzejczak, said the entire family has been devastated — not only by the loss of Andrzejczak, but also by the callousness of the suspects who fled.

"It's like a video game [to them]," she said. "It's like Grand Theft Auto, and we're a real family."

Victim was almost home

Andrzejczak's wife, Jolanta, said Andrzejczak had no chance to avoid the crash, which happened as he was driving home from having lunch. He was two blocks from his Redwood Avenue home when he was struck.

"We all can’t believe this has happened," Jolanta said through tears, adding she and her family wanted to come forward and speak out against what happened.

"This is real, this isn't just a small [thing]," she said. "It's a big story for every family … I want people to know that."

Jolanta and Andrzejczak had been sweethearts since they met when she was 16 years old, she said.

Jolanta and the couple's only son, Kamil, followed Andrzejczak from Poland soon after he immigrated to Canada 19 years ago.

Kamil described his father as a man who couldn't refuse people when they asked for his help.

"People found him intimidating … but after a while people got to know that was his sense of humour," he said.

The 23-year-old is about to graduate from law school at the University of Manitoba. He said he's angry about what happened to his dad, whom he spoke to often.

"I still expect a call from him every day," he said.

The family said they're still unsure how they will tell Andrzejczak's 85-year-old mother in Poland that her only son is dead.

Police are asking anyone with information about the crash to call them at 204-986-6230 or Crime Stoppers at 786-TIPS (8477).