A drink driver caused a fireball crash on a remote Perthshire road, which left his friend with shattered ribs and a broken collar bone.
Christopher Wilkie was over the legal alcohol limit when he crashed his black Audi into a bridge near Inchture, flipped through the air and landed on its roof.
The vehicle then burst into flames, Perth Sheriff Court was told.
The 33-year-old driver and his passenger Cameron Clark managed to clamber out of the wreckage, despite multiple injuries.
Wilkie, who also suffered several broken bones, has been banned from the road for two years and fined £1,000.
Car on fire, down an embankment
The horrific crash happened just before midnight on August 22, near Bogmiln Farm Cottage, between Inchture and Grange.
Fiscal depute Andrew Harding said: “The accused was driving his vehicle, with his friend Mr Clark as a passenger.
“The car collided with a bridge and left the road.
“It landed on its roof and burst into flames.”
Mr Harding said: “Both the accused and Mr Clark got out of the vehicle to safety.”
A nearby resident saw the blaze and dialled 999.
“At about 1.10am, the police arrived at the scene and saw the vehicle on its roof and on fire down an embankment,” said Mr Harding.
“There was damage to the bridge, a fence surrounding an embankment and to a road sign which warned of the sharp left hand bend.”
The court heard Wilkie was found by police nearby.
“He had blood on his face,” said Mr Harding.
“He was suffering from back pain.
“He confirmed to the police that he was the driver.”
Mr Harding said: “Mr Clark was traced walking towards his home address.
“Police saw that he had a large lump to his head.”
Disqualified
Blood samples were taken from Wilkie after he was transferred to hospital at about 4am.
They showed a reading of 81mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood, above the legal limit of 50mg.
Flooring specialist Wilkie, from Rait, represented himself in the dock.
He admitted drink driving and a charge of driving without due care and attention or reasonable consideration for others.
He said he was aware he would be disqualified.
Asked by Sheriff Craig McSherry if a driving ban would affect his employment, Wilkie replied: “I’m not completely sure”.
