Girl, 6, dragged under disqualified driver’s car as she played outside her home

A schoolgirl has made a miracle recovery after a hit-and-run driver smashed into her as she played on a scooter outside her home.

Michalina Eslinger, 6, is ‘lucky to be alive’ after the horrific crime by a disqualified driver was caught on CCTV camera as she was dragged under his car.

She broke her pelvis, both thigh bones, her right lower leg, her collar bone and suffered horrible facial burns in the hit-and-run.

Her family say she will return to school this week just eight weeks after the crash.

Her dad Kristoph – who saw banned driver Ashley Evans speed away from the scene – said: ‘She has been so brave. We are so lucky she is here with us.’

A judge said it was a ‘miracle that she was not killed’ – and described the driver as ‘cowardly’ for fleeing.

The CCTV camera showed how she had fallen off her scooter while playing outside when Ashley Evans sped around the corner.

Michalina was dragged along the road by her legs, and then remained trapped under the driver’s wheels until passers by were able to lift the car off her.

But callous Evans, 28, drove off, speeding away from the scene not knowing if she would be alive or dead.

She needed surgery to fit plates in her legs and stayed in the University of Wales hospital for ten days.

Kristof, who has given up work to care for his daughter, says Michalina wakes up in the night crying and asks: ‘Why was that man so mean to me?’.

Now Michalina, of Splott, Cardiff, is ready to return to school in her wheelchair.

Her father said: ‘It has been hard for Michalina to miss school because she really loves to go.

‘Her legs are still very weak she can stand but only for a short time.

‘In her thighs she has pins and screws and we are just waiting to see how well she recovers long term.’

Disqualified driver Ashley Evans had 37 previous offences on his criminal record including three for dangerous driving and six for driving while disqualified.

He was jailed for three years at Cardiff Crown Court after pleading guilty to causing serious injury while driving while disqualified, driving without insurance, driving while disqualified and failing to stop in the Vauxhall Astra.

Michalina’s father added: ‘Our anger with Ashley Evans is passing. We are only sorry that his evil decision has caused so much hurt to our family and his own.

‘I still can’t understand how this happened and I cry with relief when I think about what Michalina went through and how lucky we are she survived.’

Evans was also disqualified from driving for five years.

Jailing him, Judge David Wynn Morgan said: ‘You ran her over and dragged her a short distance beneath the car.

‘You drove the car away. Your behaviour was cowardly and inhuman.’