Man paralyses friend whilst drunk driving

Posted: March 7, 2016

Posted in: Car Accidents Road Traffic Accidents Spine & Back Injuries 

A drunk driver, whose car went out of control in bad weather conditions and plunged down a gorge paralysing his friend, has been found guilty of dangerous driving. Robert Buzalski, Krysztof Birula and one other man were driving towards Edzell on 24 August 2013 when the crash took place on a farm road from Cornes Cottage to Dalbog Farm, near Edzell. Buzalski had been drinking vodka liqueur and was found to be driving with 124 miligrammes of alcohol against a legal limit of 80.

Paralysed from the neck down since

The 36-year-old of Ruthvenfield Road, Perth was found guilty by a jury at Forfar Sheriff Court. The court had heard how Buzalski’s car had plummeted down the gorge into a river bed, causing Mr Birula a broken back and having to be cut free from the car by firefighters.

Mr Birula has been paralysed from the neck down since the crash and has returned to his native Poland. As he could not be present in court for the hearing, his court testimony was put before a Scot’s jury from his Polish bedside. Before returning to Poland, Mr Birula was treated at a specialist spinal unit in a Glasgow hospital.

Buzalski, who broke several ribs in the crash, had pled not guilty to the allegations. He had been working with Perth Forestry Services in Inveralmond. Having been found guilty, his sentence has been deferred until next April pending social work background reports. Sheriff Pino de Emidio released Buzalski on bail pending sentencing.

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