A 65-year-old woman is due to stand trial accused of driving dangerously on the notorious A9 – while a police vehicle pursued her for almost 20 miles.
Court papers claim Rotraud Engleitner of Aviemore drove on, even after the unmarked patrol car activated its blue flashing lights and sirens.
However, the case against her was adjourned yesterday after her solicitor claimed she had been unable to sleep or eat before appearing at Inverness Sheriff Court and had made herself too sick to continue.
The drama is alleged to have taken place between Daviot, about four miles south of Inverness, and the A95 turn-off to Aviemore, 21 miles south of the Highland capital, on September 24, 2014.
It is understood the patrol car was fitted with a video camera, and footage shot on the day will play an important part of the trial proceedings.
Engleitner, who is Austrian but now lives at Cairntoul, Grampian Road, Aviemore, denies driving her Ford Fiesta at grossly excessive speed, and “tailgating” by driving up to and remaining close behind vehicles ahead of her.
She also denies repeatedly overtaking in the face of oncoming vehicles, and crossing over solid white lines.
It is alleged that vehicles travelling in both directions had to take evasive action to avoid collisions – and that all this took place while Engleitner ignored the pursuing police vehicle with its emergency lights and sirens switched on.
Engleitner and her lawyer, David Adam, held lengthy discussions before the trial was due to start in front of Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood yesterday.
When they returned, a white-faced Engleitner sat in the dock while her lawyer addressed the court.
Mr Adam told the sheriff “Regrettably I am not in a position to resolve this matter and I will be seeking an adjournment. My client has worked herself up into a bit of a state over this case.
“I advised her to take the bus to court today and she has been up since 3am. She has not eaten for more than 12 hours and has made herself unwell.
“Therefore, she is unable to focus to give me proper instructions and she really needs to eat.”
Sheriff Fleetwood agreed that the case be adjourned for another intermediate hearing scheduled for March 23, with the trial now scheduled for July 8.
