A police officer who carried out an investigation into a fatal accident thought there was nothing an American tourist could have done to avoid the collision.
However the trial at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday heard that a colleague who carried out a more detailed examination, contradicted him.
Barbara Ardell, 63, of Georgia, denies causing the death of prison officer Paul Todd on Culcabock Road, Inverness, by driving carelessly on July 18 last year.
It is alleged that she turned her Skoda into the path of his high-powered Honda Blackbird.
The court heard that constable Neil Macdonald, of Police Scotland’s road policing unit, took statements from various witnesses and from Ardell.
She told him she was heading to her hotel with her husband and knew she had to turn right at the junction with Kingsmills Road and Damfield Road.
In the statement, Ardell said: “I looked to see if there was oncoming traffic and I didn’t see any cars or motor bikes.” She said that she did not see a green arrow filter light for a right turn.
Ardell added: “I had almost fully completed the turn when out of my peripheral vision I saw a flash and there was a crash.”
She added: “I said ‘Oh my God, oh my God’. I didn’t know where he came from. It was like he dropped out of the sky. One man said the bike had come flying through the intersection like a bat out of hell and ran into me. I didn’t run into him.
“I don’t think there was anything I could do. I was driving carefully and cautiously. I believe he was driving recklessly and was speeding.”
Constable Macdonald concluded that Ardell could not have avoided the collision in an initial report to the procurator fiscal’s office.
But a detailed investigation by colleagues came to a different conclusion.
Collision expert constable Lewis Macdonald told the court that his verdict was Ardell had proceeded on to the junction when the right turn green filter light was not illuminated and should have seen the oncoming motor bike.
The jury also heard that Mr Todd had several road traffic convictions, including two for speeding. They also heard he overtook at least two vehicles in Damfield Road and accelerated into the junction before trying to make an emergency stop.
The trial continues.
