A drunk driver was warned he faced a prison sentence after admitting causing a horror smash on the A90 that left a mum and daughter injured.
Andrew Gentleman, 52, pulled out in his Citroen Berlingo van from a central reservation and straight into the path of a Ford Fiesta driven by Chloe Louden, then 19, on the road near Forfar last July.
Miss Louden’s mum Louise Louden, then 38, suffered serious injuries to her spine and pelvis that left her permanently disfigured. Two children, aged five and three, were in the back seat but did not suffer any injuries.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard that tyre fitter Gentleman fled the scene and left his bashed-up van near a caravan park. He was later found to be over four times the drink drive limit – three hours after the crash occurred.
A witness who gave evidence to the police said: “There’s absolutely no way the Fiesta driver could have avoided it.”
Both vehicles suffered “extensive” damage and members of the public stopped their vehicles in order to assist.
However, Gentleman left the scene in his van but was later traced by police.
Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson said: “Police, paramedics and fire crews were contacted. All four occupants of the Fiesta were taken to Ninewells Hospital.”
Gentleman was also taken to Ninewells where he suffered no serious injuries. The court heard he told a doctor that he had been drinking alcohol that morning.
Chloe Louden was said to have suffered bruising on her left arm as well as a 1.5inch cut across her right knee and a sore right ankle.
Her mother sustained a fractured pelvis and spine as well as a fractured sternum and a five centimetre wound to her abdomen. She remained in hospital for 12 days and had to undergo two operations.
In May this year, she said that she has disfigurement and scarring to her hip and restricted movement in her wrist and hand. She added that she suffers from a lot of back pain.
Gentleman, of Haugh Street, Bainsford, Falkirk, pleaded guilty to driving with 92 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exceeding the limit of 22 microgrammes, on July 27 2019 on the A90 Aberdeen to Dundee, at the junction with the A932 Forfar road.
He also caused serious injury to Louise Louden through dangerous driving resulting in her permanent impairment as well as causing injury to Chloe Louden.
Deferring sentence, Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC said: “Custody is very much at the forefront of my mind.”
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