A driver who spent two months in a coma and lost the ability to speak English after a devastating crash has been fined over the incident.
Karol Skelnik, who is originally from Poland, has no memory of his life in the UK prior to the Parkway crash and can no longer look after himself, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
The 23-year-old was going almost double the speed limit when he lost control of his red Ford Mondeo near Danestone Farm and collided with another vehicle coming in the opposite direction.
He had to be freed from the mangled wreckage by emergency services and spent the next two months in a medically-induced coma.
Fiscal depute Eabha Sweeney said the crash happened around 8.20am on March 6 2020.
She said a witness saw Skelnik’s car “veer sharply right into the opposing lane” directly into the path of another vehicle.
The car was then seen “moving sideways and spinning across the carriageway”.
The two vehicles that collided came to rest in the westbound carriageway.
Other witnesses had to brake harshly and swerve to avoid crashing into the cars.
Skelnik was seen to be “unresponsive” within his car, which had smoke rising from it.
He was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary while police carried out a crash investigation.
The fiscal depute said: “The accused was treated at the hospital for a severe head injury that was potentially life-threatening and remained in a critical condition for a number of days.”
Skelnik, of Beechwood Court, Aberdeen, pled guilty to careless driving and driving without a licence.
‘He has no intention of driving again’
Defence agent John Hardie said: “He has been unable to provide me with any information about his life prior to the incident.
“The injury suffered by him was life-threatening and he was in a medically induced coma for a period of two months.
“On his recovery from that coma, he had no memory of his life in the UK.
“His recovery from then to today is quite remarkable but he still very much suffers the effects of that day.”
Mr Hardie said his client could not explain what had caused the accident but said two separate reports into the crash concluded Skelnik had been going between 55mph and 59mph in the 30mph zone.
He went on: “The road is a piece of carriageway which, for most of its length, has a 50mph limit, but has a section with a 30mph limit, which is where this accident takes place.
“The reconstruction suggests his vehicle speed was not changed in response to the change of speed limit.
‘No one has paid a higher price for his carelessness’
“We can infer from that that he doesn’t notice, for whatever reason, that sign and, as the road bends, it appears his attempt to correct his steering is an overcorrection and what results is the loss of control.”
Mr Hardie said Skelnik’s mother now lives with him as his carer as he continues to have “cognitive difficulties”.
He said: “His mother returned to Poland in the summer in the hope he might be able to live independently, but over the last two months it’s become clear that’s not going to be possible.
“The family’s intention now is that when this matter is concluded he will return to Poland and live with her permanently.
“He hasn’t attempted to drive since and indeed is uncomfortable even as a passenger in a car. He has no intention of driving again.
“I’d urge m’lord to consider that no one has paid a higher price for his carelessness than Mr Skelnik himself.”
Sheriff Andrew Miller said he took into account everything he’d been told and fined Skelnik £320.
He also disqualified him from driving for a year.
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