Driver Who Cost Schoharie Teen His Arm Pleads Guilty

SCHOHARIE - Victim Nate Parslow Continues to Look Forward

SCHOHARIE - The drug-impaired driver who caused a two-car accident that cost a Schoharie teenager his arm three months before his high school graduation last March faces one to three years in jail after pleading to charges in Schoharie County Court Monday. 

Michael Bernard Jr. is facing one to three years in prison when he is sentenced on June 3, in connection with a crash on March 5, 2023, which left 18-year-old Nate Parslow without his dominant left arm.

Bernard, 31, of Gilboa pled guilty to charges of vehicular assault, an E-felony, and operating impaired by drugs, a misdemeanor, according to Schoharie County District Attorney Susan Mallery. He pled guilty on the day the trial was about to start. 

Mr. Parslow's life changed last March. He was headed to a Sunday family dinner at his aunt’s house when the vehicle he was driving was struck by Bernard. The teen sustained injuries resulting in the amputation of his left arm. His dominant arm. He is now a volunteer firefighter for the same department that helped to save his life.

Since the crash, Mr. Parslow and his mother Celeste have remained positive and have also detailed the time-consuming, complicated, and costly process of rehabilitation.

Despite the accident and the arduous work to recover, Mr. Parslow continues to look forward.

"I will always be looking forward in life through the windshield and not the rear view mirror looking backward," he said Tuesday.

Mr. Parslow said he hopes Bernard gets the help he needs and he even wants to speak to groups with Bernard after he gets out of prison.

"I would love to see Mike take this opportunity to get the help he needs to be there for his newborn son and make his son proud of him. Mike and I share the same birthdate July 6 too. 

"Someday maybe Mike and I can go around and do some public speaking together to help other people that are addicted to drugs. Even if we can make a difference for one other person we can make a difference!"

Mr. Parslow plans to give a victim impact statement at the sentencing.

The accident happened three months before Mr. Parslow graduated from the Schoharie BOCES Career and Technical Education Center in the construction/heavy equipment program.

He has faced a long journey back.

Last October, he received a prosthetic arm, but the lithium battery malfunctioned and burned him. The company took the prosthetic back in an effort to figure out what went wrong while the burn healed. In the meantime, his stump grew and now his arm does not fit in the prosthetic arm socket. A new socket was molded, and the family is waiting on insurance approval.

District Attorney Mallery said ADA Stephen Goble worked hard on a case that is not easy to prosecute in New York State. Legislation is being changed but prosecuting DWI drug cases in New York State "are not very easy."