A driver who left a carer with life-threatening injuries after a horrific collision in Dundee has been ordered to perform unpaid work.
Tracey Towell was caring for someone prior to being struck in the Kirkton area of the city by a Vauxhall Zafira driven by 36-year-old Melissa White.
Ms Towell, then 57, spent 10 months in hospital being treated for injuries sustained in the incident on November 11 2022 on Gillburn Road.
She now requires carers herself.
She was dragged 10 metres along the road and rendered unconscious with blood pouring from her ear, nose, mouth and head.
Ms Towell was “squashed” between her own vehicle, parked alongside a row of cars, and White’s.
Dundee Sheriff Court was told how the road conditions were dark and White did not see Ms Towell emerging between the vehicles.
Sentencing
“In this case you caused very serious injuries to the pedestrian,” Sheriff John Rafferty told White.
“I have to recognise it was dark.
“It was a line of parked cars.
“The injured party emerged from the parked cars and your opportunity to observe was limited.
“I am satisfied that the lack of care and attention was limited.”
White, of Helmsdale Avenue, previously pled guilty to causing Ms Towell serious injury through careless driving.
She was ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work and disqualified from driving for 14 months.
Tragic collision
The court was told how Ms Towell left the address of the person she was caring for at about 5.20pm before disaster struck.
Fiscal depute Carrie-Anne Mackenzie said: “The accused has been driving east at the locus and has failed to observe the complainer standing at the rear of her own vehicle and has failed to move out sufficiently to pass the complainer’s vehicle… striking the complainer, causing her to be dragged along the side of her own car before falling, coming to rest approximately 10 metres in front of her own car.
“There was a witness travelling immediately behind the accused who stopped and tried to provide assistance to the complainer, who was found to have blood coming from her ear, nose, mouth and the back of her head.
“She was unconscious and making laboured breathing noises.
“At the same time, two police constables who were on routine mobile patrol came upon the incident.
“When the ambulance arrived, the complainer was still struggling to breathe.
“The road was closed and the accused was spoken to by police.”
Gillburn Road did not open until 11.15pm that night.
Devastated
Ms Towell’s condition was described as “life-threatening” due to serious injuries to her head and chest.
She received surgery in Aberdeen after being admitted to the intensive care unit at Ninewells Hospital.
A 10-month stint in hospital followed with spells in Ninewells at the Royal Victoria Hospital which cares for palliative patients and has a brain injury unit.
Eventually, Ms Towell was discharged from hospital and requires help from carers three times a day and twice daily visits from district nurses.
Defence solicitor John Boyle said White was “devastated” by the injuries caused to Ms Towell and was regularly emotional about her culpability.
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