Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
A90 horror smash driver is locked up
Victim may never recover from brain injury
An Airdrie drink driver who left a 16-year-old girl with serious brain injuries from which she might never recover after a horror fivevehicle smash has been jailed.
Another teenager suffered extensive head injuries after Stuart Mackenzie’s van ploughed into the back of a Volkswagen car on the A90 Dundee to Perth road in February last year.
The late- night crash led to Mackenzie, of Petersburn, being jailed for two years – and banned from driving for five – when he appeared for sentence at Perth Sheriff Court last week.
As the 31- year- old was led in handcuffs to the cells, a woman in the public gallery broke down in tears and screamed: “Love you, babe.”
The court was told that road maintenance was being carried out and the VW had stopped behind three other cars at a red light about 11pm.
They were waiting to be taken in convoy through the affected area.
But Mackenzie – who was more than four times the legal limit – ignored nine different warning signs, placed at different intervals of up to a mile before the traffic lights.
The 19- year- old Volkswagen driver, along with his teenage passenger, were trapped after Mackenzie rear-ended their car, causing a “domino-type collision” with the other vehicles in front of it.
He spent 10 days in the neurological ward at Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital.
The young woman suffered a fractured skull, along with injuries to her vertebrae, as well as numerous broken bones in her left foot.
She also suffered a “high energy” injury to her brain and the surgeon who treated her said it may result in “long-term cognitive problems.”
Other people involved in the crash suffered whiplash and broken bones.
A roadside breath test showed Mackenzie had 93 microgrammes of alcohol in his system – the legal limit is 22.
Passing sentence, Sheriff Gillian Wade noted that the injuries suffered by the girl “may have an ongoing effect for some considerable time to come, if not for ever.”
“In the circumstances, there’s no alternative to a custodial sentence.”
Mackenzie, of Calderglen Court, admitted driving dangerously on the A90, between Invergowrie and Longforgan, on February 20, 2015, while he was impaired by alcohol.
He also failed to observe several traffic management signs, lights and cones.
Depute fiscal Carol Whyte said the accused had been working that evening but told colleagues he would have to leave early because of a “family matter”.
“It appeared he had failed to notice the stationary vehicles and collided with the rear of the vehicle driven by [the teenager],” explained the fiscal.
Defence solicitor David Holmes said: “He has expressed his deepfelt regret at the consequences of his actions.
“He does accept that, had he not taken alcohol, this might not have happened.
“He takes full responsibility for his actions.”
He had been drinking “substantially” the night before and had taken two pints of lager the following day.
After being told of the extent of the victims’ injuries, he was “visibly affected.”
He does accept had he not taken alcohol this might not have happened