Man had to retire after breaking neck in crash
Plumber needed back brace after car rammed him
A plumber was forced to retire after he was seriously injured in a car crash.
The 61-year-old was struck by Steven Donaldson’s Mercedes jeep in Cambuslang on August 6, 2019.
The plumber, who was semi-retired, had to quit his job after suffering two vertebrae fractures on his neck.
Donaldson went on a rampage behind the wheel which saw four cars written off – with one of them “flattened.”
The 47-year-old was convicted by a jury at Glasgow Sheriff Court of causing serious injury to the victim by dangerous driving.
Donaldson was also found guilty to a separate charge of failing to stop after an accident to give his name and address, as well as the identification of the owner of the vehicle.
The court heard from the plumber, who told the jury that he was driving with his partner towards East Kilbride Road.
Prosecutor Mark Allan asked what was the first thing that happened and he replied: “I was struck to the rear; I was on the left on the filter. I was struck by a Mercedes jeep on my back offside.”
The witness stated that he was moving at the time and was driving at 15 miles per hour.
He added: “I wanted to accelerate at the time.
“The car hit me on the bumper at the back door and shunted us on approximately 10 feet.”
The witness stated that he was unable to see the driver who, he claimed, ran a red light and sped off.
He stated that he went to the side of the road and dialled 999 before speaking to the police at his home later that day.
Mr Allan questioned the witness as to the damage of the car.
He stated: “The car was eventually written off.
“But I thought at the time that it was minor damage to the back end.”
He added that he and his partner went to hospital the next day.
He stated that he was diagnosed with two neck vertebrae fractures, while his partner had whiplash.
“The witness claimed that he was put in a neck and back brace for six weeks.
A driving instructor, 63, told jurors that Donaldson dropped onto his car from a raised part of road outside his home.
The witness’s new learner car was written off after Donaldson’s jeep landed on the bonnet.
He stated that he heard a bang outside his home and went to his window to see what had happened.
He said: “My car was moved 10 to 12 feet further back and was a write-off.
“The fence was down and bricks thrown about, with the other car involved lying behind my car against the kerb.
“It had landed on my bonnet and my car was basically flattened at the top.”
His neighbour stated that her Toyota Yaris was also written off due to the collision.
Mr Allan asked what condition her car was in. She replied: “The front of it was wrecked.
“The side was wrecked and the whole left side was damaged.” The witness said that Donaldson and his passengers fled the scene before he came back.
She confronted him but was told: “I wasn’t going fast.”
Donaldson was arrested and stated to officers that there was a problem with his cruise control.
Sentence was deferred until next month for background reports by Sheriff Alan Mackenzie.
Donaldson, of East Kilbride, had his bail continued meantime.
The car hit me on the bumper at the back door and shunted us approximately 10 feet