Man’s tyres slashed while visiting ill wife

ninewells: Car parked on avenue over two nights is targeted while man at wife’s bedside

A man visiting his critically ill wife in hospital following a car crash has been left in “utter disbelief” after his tyres were deliberately slashed.

Edinburgh resident Bryce Crawford had been at his wife’s bedside in the Intensive Care Unit at Ninewells Hospital for two nights after she was in a head-on crash on the A9 on Monday.

Doctors have told him that his wife has suffered serious head, chest and pelvic injuries, as well as multiple rib fractures.

One of her limbs may also have to be amputated.

He had parked on Ninewells Avenue on the Monday and Tuesday night while he stayed at the hospital and on Wednesday evening decided to drive back down to Edinburgh to see their two children.

He said he was left gobsmacked upon discovering both nearside tyres on his van had been punctured with a blade, leaving one inch wide holes.

The 48-year-old firefighter said: “I was so angry at first then my next reaction was just to laugh from utter disbelief.

“It was so stupid that I just couldn’t believe it.

“Here I was in hospital visiting my wife, who I was told might not make it, and someone decides to do this.

“I was parked on a public street because I couldn’t get parked in the grounds of the hospital.

“Why is anyone walking about with what was probably a kitchen knife or a large Stanley knife?”

The couple, who have two children, a son aged 16, and a daughter aged 18, have been married for 22 years.

Occupational therapist Fiona, 49, was on her way to see her mother in her home city of Inverness when the accident happened near Blair Atholl.

She was rushed to hospital in Dundee, with her husband racing up to the city immediately upon hearing the news.

Mr Crawford added that he believes a local resident took exception to his van being parked on the street for two days.

He said: “I think the person was angry that I was parked there.

“But I was parked legally on a public street.

“They didn’t know why I was there and what we are going through.

“I’m on auto-pilot right now and it hasn’t really sunk in what’s happened but Fiona could be in hospital for weeks, even months.

“I’m thankful that she is alive but just in complete disbelief that this has also happened.”

Fiona remains in a critical but stable condition.

A spokeswoman for the Tayside division of Police Scotland said: “We can confirm we are making an inquiry after a car was vandalised in Ninewells Avenue, Dundee, some time between 8pm on Tuesday 16 January and 9pm on Wednesday 17 January.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101 quoting CR/1345/18.

“I think the person was angry that I was parked there. But I was parked legally on a public street