A man has been banned from driving after crashing into a cyclist at a busy Aberdeen roundabout and leaving him with a spinal fracture.
Charles Saludades ploughed into the cyclist on Hareness Road, sending him crashing up onto the bonnet and then down onto the ground.
Saludades had been waiting to join a roundabout and failed to spot the biker, despite him wearing high-vis clothing.
The 29-year-old phoned the police himself and waited with the man until an ambulance arrived, but has now appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court over the matter.
Cyclist ‘felt severe pain’
Fiscal depute Peter Finnon said the incident happened around 5.30pm on May 26 last year.
On reaching the roundabout, the cyclist, who was on his way home from work, positioned himself in the centre of the nearside lane.
Mr Finnon said: “Moments later, he felt a vehicle collide into the back of him.
“This caused him to be propelled onto the bonnet of the vehicle and then fall off onto the pavement.
“He immediately felt severe pain in his pelvis and lower back.”
Witnesses raced to the man’s aid and Saludades advised he had been looking for traffic coming round the roundabout and hadn’t seen the cyclist.
‘Appropriate level of concern’
The injured biker was taken to hospital and found to have a fracture to his spine as well as numerous pelvic fractures.
Mr Finnon told the court: “Thankfully, none of the injuries were life-threatening or life-changing and should heal naturally without medical treatment.”
His bike, worth £550, was damaged beyond repair.
Saludades, of Charleston Gardens, Aberdeen, pled guilty to causing serious injury by careless driving.
Defence agent Gregor Kelly said: “My client accepts full responsibility for the accident and is grateful the injuries were not more serious than they were.
“He extends his good wishes to the cyclist.
“He stayed with him until the ambulance arrived and showed the appropriate level of concern.”
Mr Kelly explained Saludades thought he had an opportunity to join the roundabout and made an “incorrect assumption” that the cyclist had also moved forward and joined.
Sheriff Shirley McKenna told Saludades: “I can see you’ve been remorseful in relation to these matters.
“You did all the right things once the damage had been done.”
She fined him £640 and banned him from driving for a year.
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