A young driver who was fleeing police hit a speed bump at 50mph and sent his car airborne, a court has heard.
Connor Ross, known as McKenzie, sped away after officers smelled the odour of cannabis coming from his car.
But he ended up losing control of the vehicle and sent it spinning through the air sideways and into a parked van.
The 21-year-old then ran away from the car, leaving his injured passengers behind, his own car wrapped around another and the van he’d hit dangling into someone’s garden, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
Fiscal depute Dylan Middleton said McKenzie’s grey Volkswagen Golf wound up “airborne and rotating” after he accelerated harshly over speed bumps and hit speeds of 50mph on Howes Road and Davidson Gardens.
Officers smelled drugs from in car
In Howes Road police officers on mobile patrol noticed a small of cannabis “emanating from the vehicle”.
“Upon seeing the police vehicle, the accused accelerated harshly and travelled east on Howes Road with no headlamps on,” the fiscal said.
“Believing the car was attempting to flee police activated the emergency equipment on their vehicle.
“The accused failed to stop and was followed at speeds in excess of 50mph. He was observed accelerating over speed bumps.”
Car ‘airborne’ over speed bumps
“As he approached the give-way junction with Davidson Drive, he negotiated the junction at speed, his vehicle struck a speed restriction bump and became airborne, rotating anti-clockwise as it did so.
“The front nearside of the car then collided with the rear offside of a car parked outside number 22 Davidson Gardens.
“This van was shunted forward approximately 15 metres into a garden in Davidson Gardens, causing substantial damage to a fence.”
McKenzie’s car, meanwhile, continued to spin before coming to rest nearby against a parked car.
“He was seen by the police witnesses to exit his vehicle via the driver’s door before running off towards Springhill Road,” the fiscal added.
McKenzie left behind his two passengers, one of whom had to be taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for treatment of a back injury.
Despite a search of the area, McKenzie could not be found.
Officers did, however, find cannabis worth £60 in his car and McKenzie handed himself over to police three days later.
McKenzie admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, attempting to pervert the course of justice and possession of a Class B drug.
‘He is appalled and remorseful’
Defence agent John Hardie said his client had made a “series of poor decisions in quick succession”.
“The consequences of these decisions were catastrophic,” the solicitor added. “While he doesn’t seek to minimise the impact of the injuries in any way, they were ‘relatively trivial’ according to medical experts.
“No medical intervention was required beyond painkillers and time.
“Mr McKenzie makes no effort to minimise the damage he has done. He is appalled and he is remorseful.
“He had made changes in the last 15 months and is now a well-regarded employee and offers care to his grandparents.”
Handed alternative to custody
Sheriff Ian Wallace handed McKenzie, of Stoneyton Terrace, Bucksburn, a community payback order comprising of supervision for 18 months and 225 unpaid work hours.
He was also banned from driving for 27 months and must sit an extended test before being allowed back on the roads.
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