High-flying Italian finance CEO, 41, ploughed his $600k red Ferrari into a luxury jewellery store when his boozy joyride around Sydney with a female passenger turned to disaster
- Drink driver who slammed his $600k Ferrari into a jewellery store is a CEO
- High-flyer Norman Vancuylenberg, 41, was twice the legal limit, blowing 0.107
- The Italian born financier is also known by the name Norman Formisano
- He pleaded guilty to three charges on Wednesday to be sentenced in March
Big crash: Norman Vancuylenberg crashed his Ferrari into a jewellery store in Sydney's CBD on January 6. He had a female passenger in the car, but it's not suggested it is the woman above
A drunk driver who ploughed his Ferrari into a luxury jewellery store while cruising Sydney with a female passenger is the Italian-born CEO of a finance company.
Norman Vancuylenberg, 41, was twice over the legal limit and driving on a suspended licence when he slammed his 599 model luxury car into the Ole Lynggaard Copenhagen store in Sydney's CBD about 3.30pm on January 6.
The Ferrari - worth about $600,000 brand new - skidded onto the footpath on Market St and collided with the store's front window, injuring a female pedestrian in her 60s.
Witnesses described the high-flying Naples-born financier as being 'totally shaken' following the crash. He was arrested by police and later blew a blood alcohol reading of 0.107 at Day St Police Station.
What a mess: A boozy cruise about town turned into a very public disaster for Norman Vancuylenberg when he slammed his red Ferrari into a jewellery store on Market St, Sydney, after the New Year
A woman in her 60s suffered a hip injury and Vancuylenberg's Ferrari was also left a crumpled mess from the crash, which occurred in broad daylight, about 3.30pm
Italian-born high flyer Norman Vancuylenberg, 41, ploughed his red Ferrari into David Jones on January 6
Vancuylenberg, also known by the last name Formisano, pleaded guilty to three charges on Wednesday, including mid-range drink driving, driving while suspended and dangerous driving.
A witness - back in the office for the first day of the working year - recalled to the Sydney Morning Herald at the time: 'I was sitting at my desk and heard a loud noise of wheels turning.
'I rushed to the window and saw the vehicle come around. It was a huge crash.
'It was such a loud explosion - it was really terrifying.
'The street was so busy, there were a few hundred people around.'
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The female pedestrian was taken to St Vincent's Hospital, but her injuries were not believed to be serious. The Ferrari narrowly missed a young family.
Vancuylenberg's scarlet Ferrari was left a crumpled mess and his windscreen shattered. The shop window suffered only minor damage.
The boozy crash is quite the fall from grace from Vancuylenberg.
Not much to see here: The crash may have seemed sensational but it left behind minor damage to the Ole Lynggaard Copenhagen shopfront
Vanculyenberg was described as 'totally shaken' after the collision, and was arrested by police
A company profile by his business, Giant Finance Group, describes Vancuylenberg as a highly respected finance industry figure.
The website boasts that Vancuylenberg 'helped and fund some of the biggest franchises ... in Australia, known today as RAMS Home Loans.'
It claims he has been behind trail books worth more than half a billion dollars over the course of his career.
He will be sentenced in March.
