Drink-driver left workmate with life-threatening injuries after crash on A87 east of Kyle of Lochalsh, Inverness Sheriff Court hears
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A 39-year-old Ayr-shire painter injured a workmate when he crashed his van into a tree, 13 miles east of Kyle of Lochalsh in the summer of 2019.
Bricklayer Garry Stephen required bowel surgery and suffered a double fracture to his jaw, a broken left elbow and a cut above his right eye after Ian McEwan lost control of the Vauxhall Vivara, and it careered off the road in the early hours of June 2.
At Inverness Sheriff Court, McEwan admitted dangerous driving and driving with more than twice the legal limit of alcohol in his blood. His reading was 120mcgs when the limit is 50mcgs.
Sheriff Robert Frazer was told that the men were working on the renovation of the Cluanie Inn and drove to Kyle to watch football and drink beer on June 1.
Fiscal depute David Morton said that later that evening the pair drove to the Dornie Hotel where they had more beer. "The hotel manager advised them not to drive but he was told that a friend was coming to pick them up.
"At 11.30pm the hotel manager went next door to the Clachan Bar and saw both consuming alcohol. They left the bar at 12.30am."
Mr Morton added that five minutes later an HGV driver saw the van "bouncing" from the verge of the A87 at Inverinate on to the middle of the road. It then left the roadway and hit a tree.
The lorry driver stopped and helped McEwan free Mr Stephen from his seat. He needed to be taken to Glasgow by air ambulance where he required surgery for life-threatening injuries. McEwan did not require medical treatment.
McEwan, of Coronation Road, Ayr, had sentence deferred until June 7 for a background report and a restriction of liberty assessment. His bail was continued.
Defence solicitor Duncan Henderson reserved his comments until then.
