Michael Bernard Jr. was led from the Schoharie County Courtroom in handcuffs Monday, sentenced to 1-3 years in state prison for a March 2023 accident that left Nate Parslow clinging to life and, today, struggling to figure out the prosthetic arm that replaced the one he lost.
Before his sentencing by Judge Ryan McAllister, Bernard apologized—the first Nate’s family said they’d ever heard him take accountability.
“I didn’t wake up that morning intending to do anyone harm,” he said.
Outside the court room, after the sentencing, Nate said he wished there had been a different ending: that Mr. Bernard was going home to his six-week old son.
“I didn’t want to see him go to jail,” he said. “I wanted him home with his kid.”
Nate spent 16 days at the Albany Medical Center after the March 5, 2023 accident; volunteers freed him from his truck using the Jaws of Life and State Trooper Angela Yodis saved his life applying a tourniquet, in the road, at the scene.
Bernard was charged with vehicular assault in the second degree and DWAI drugs, pleading guilty to both in a negotiated plea deal in March.
Nate’s family and friends sat surrounding him in the courtroom, wearing blue #NateStrong t-shirts.
Before Monday’s sentencing began, his mom, Celeste, said that she wished it had gone to trial.
“I’m glad it’s over, but they never asked Nate how he feels…there wasn’t the option to go to trail, I’d rather there had been a trial. This is the easy way out, sadly.”
But like her son, Ms. Parslow said she hopes Bernard uses the time in prison to deal with his addiction.
In his victim’s statement, Nate recounted the accident, and the pain he felt when his arm was severed “like pain I never felt before,” and his efforts to get his young cousins out of the car before it caught on fire, “all due to someone else’s poor decision to drive under the influence of illegal drugs.”
He struggles everyday with pain, anxiety, and PTSD, he said, and he even as he told Bernard he “prays you’ll never see you son go through anything like this” he also told him, “I do wish for you that you get help.”
Judge McAllister acknowledged those words, calling Nate wise beyond his years.
“This may not feel like the solution you wanted, but you’re clearly showing that you’re a pillar of the community…at such a young age. You should be proud of that and your family should be proud too.”