LAWRENCE - Dana Martino of Methuen is doing her best to defy the opinions of doctors who said she may never walk again because of injuries suffered in a car crash on Interstate 93 in Andover one year ago.

And once again yesterday, Martino, 35, who also is a breast cancer survivor, summoned all her grit to testify in the trial of the man charged with causing the accident which left her with severe head, neck and spine injuries.

William Artis, 30, of Hooksett, N.H., was found guilty after the one-day trial before Judge Michael Brooks in Lawrence District Court. He was sentenced to six months in jail to be followed by two years of probation.

It was the first time Martino and her husband, Marc Martino, faced Artis since the accident.

Dana Martino, who must use a wheelchair, said she will always feel anger toward Artis.

"My independence was taken from me," she said afterward. "I'm getting stronger every day. It is still an uphill battle. I can't do the simplest things like tuck my child into bed. Everyone has to do everything for me.

"Letting my guard down in front of him was hard," she said. "I wanted him to see what he did and let him know what I have to go through on a daily basis."

Artis, a married father of two, did not speak in court and was solemn when he was handcuffed and taken away after the ruling. His attorney, Christopher Reardon, said his client couldn't avoid hitting Martino that day on the highway.

"He wasn't speeding; there was no evidence of erratic operation," Reardon said. "It was a horrible accident."

Assistant District Attorney Jessica Strasnick argued that Artis was negligent because he did not stop or slow down. Strasnick said Artis also told police he had been looking down at the passenger side floor moments before impact. He also was driving without a license.

Artis was driving a Chevy Cobalt on May 30, 2006, when he slammed into Dana Martino's Saab.

Martino was driving back from a cancer follow-up appointment at Massachusetts General Hospital with her son, Matthew, then 4, and family dog in her car. She was in the left lane on I-93 when she got a flat tire and had to pull over to the left side of the road.

State police Trooper Dana Atkinson, who also testified yesterday, said police believe Martino's car had come to a complete stop and she had removed her seat belt when she was hit from behind. Atkinson said Artis was driving at 68 mph when he hit her car.