A motorist who hit a pedestrian on a Fife traffic island claimed he was “blinded” by the glare of oncoming headlights.
Crawford Robson’s Nissan collided with a man in Main Street, Crosshill, Lochgelly on November 2 2023.
A trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard the pedestrian was left with fractures to his pelvis and elbow.
Robson had denied causing serious injury by careless driving but was found guilty after trial by Sheriff Susan Duff.
The 50-year-old driver, of Grainger Street, Lochgelly, failed to adhere to signs, mounted a traffic island and struck the pedestrian, to his injury.
Guilty
Defence lawyer Pete Robertson had argued for an acquittal based on Robson’s position he did not see the bollards or the pedestrian due to “glare” and being “blinded by headlights”.
In her closing submissions prosecutor Eve McKaig noted Robson accepted during his own evidence he would have seen the island on approach to it, allowing him sufficient time to consider his direction of travel.
The fiscal depute said: “Even if the court accepts that the accused was subject to some bouncing light from either ambient light or oncoming vehicles, in my submission the accused has not reacted in the appropriate manner in terms of slowing down and potentially braking”.
Ms McKaig noted Robson accepted in his evidence he could not remember slowing down.
She said, as a result of this, Robson “collided with two bollards and a pedestrian on a road where it is clearly seen, with video footage, that other vehicles are able to navigate around the island”.
Ms McKaig said the pedestrian suffered two fractures to his pelvis and one to his elbow and referenced a description of “skin coming from his head”.
Sheriff Duff found Robson guilty of causing serious injury by careless driving.
Sentencing was deferred until March 19 to obtain background reports.
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