Published: Wednesday, 20th August, 2008 12:30
Kincardine biker's arm ripped off in horror crash
By Court Reporter
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A DRIVER whose actions caused an accident that ripped off a motorcylist’s arm and left him with his leg so badly damaged that it had to be amputated has been warned that he faces jail.
Stuart Watt (23) was overtaking a line of traffic on the busy A907 near Alloa when his 14-year-old BMW hit biker Richard Ziegler, who was coming the other way.
His car was straddling the white line when Mr Ziegler pulled out slightly, while remaining on his correct side of the road, to see past a lorry.
Mr Ziegler (48), of Kincardine, who was on his way to his work as a mechanical engineer, was thrown from his machine and landed in the road. Watt, a fibreglass laminator, was on his way home to get ready for work when the accident occurred at 6.45am on 31 October 2006.
Prosecutor Alistair Duncan said it was immediately obvious to motorists who stopped to help that Mr Ziegler’s right arm had been completely ripped off in the collision.
Despite losing blood, Mr Ziegler was standing beside the road and took off his helmet himself with his remaining arm.
He was looked after by passers-by and an off-duty police officer while an ambulance and other police arrived.
He was taken to Stirling Royal Infirmary where doctors were unable to re-attach his arm, which police found nearby. His right leg was so badly damaged that it had to be amputated above the knee, before he was transferred to Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.
Mr Duncan said Mr Ziegler had spent four months in hospital, after the accident and now had an artificial right arm and leg, but continued to suffer pain.
He had also been unable to return to his job and had to be cared for by one of his grown-up children.
At Stirling Sheriff Court on Tuesday, Watt, of Stoneyacre, Tillicoultry, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.
Allegations that he had been going excessively fast at the time of the accident, and that his elderly car had defective tyres, were dropped by the prosecution.
Defence agent Grant Markie said Watt had only one previous motoring conviction, and that only at district court level.
Sheriff Andrew Cubie deferred sentence for background reports until 10 September and released Watt on bail. He was disqualified from driving in the interim.
Sheriff Cubie told him, “I am sure you’ll appreciate that this is a very serious matter and one of the options which will be considered is a term of imprisonment.
“Your release on bail in the meantime is without prejudice to any disposal.”
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