Drunk driver left friend badly hurt

A PASSENGER was left seriously injured and vomiting blood when his drunk friend crashed his car into a wall in Dundee’s West End.

Ross Cochrane got behind the wheel of Gareth Anderson’s vehicle while over the limit and uninsured before smashing it at speed on Roseangle.

The pair had been drinking with friends for five hours at The Kilted Kangaroo bar on the same street.

Mr Anderson was placed into the high-dependency unit at Ninewells Hospital after he was found vomiting blood by horrified passers-by.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard how a group had gathered after work to celebrate a birthday and arrived at the bar at 2pm.

At 9pm, Cochrane, 30, made his way into the driver’s seat of the car after Mr Anderson went to fetch cigarettes from the vehicle.

Prosecutor Joanne Ritchie said: “The accused and Mr Anderson were intoxicated. Mr Anderson had given the accused a shot of the car.

“He then drove at speed for around 100 metres but crashed into a wall. Witnesses heard the crash with the car colliding with a large brick wall causing severe front end and interior damage. Both airbags were deployed.”

After leaving the car, Mr Anderson called a friend to say: “I have done something bad. I am f ***** . Ross is due me a new car.”

Mr Anderson’s last recollection is waking up at the side of the pavement while vomiting blood.

He was rushed to hospital, where he was found to have signs of a grade four liver injury, a splenic laceration and fluid which looked like blood sitting on his pelvis.

His condition became stable six days later.

Cochrane, of Bruce Road, was traced at the scene by police and taken to hospital after complaining about his knees. A blood sample found he was over the drinkdriving limit.

Ms Ritchie revealed the cost of the damage to the wall was just over £3,000.

Cochrane pled guilty to causing serious injury to Mr Anderson on Roseangle on June 24 2022 by dangerous driving. He drove while under the influence of alcohol, at excessive speed for an area containing pedestrians and parked vehicles, while Mr Anderson was within the passenger seat, collided with a wall damaging it and the car and causing serious injury to Mr Anderson.

Sheriff John MacRitchie deferred sentence until next month for reports to be prepared.

Ross Cochrane outside court.