An Italian tourist drove a minibus into the opposing carriageway for “an unknown reason” before a head-on collision on the A96 that killed five people, a court has heard.
Police crash investigators said that, after the minibus driven by Alfredo Ciociola collided with a Nissan SUV, both vehicles were locked together and were extensively damaged.
Ciociola, 50, has denied causing the death of his son Lorenzo, aged four, a 63-year-old passenger in the minibus Frances Saliba and three passengers in the SUV driven by Ms Smith – Edward Reid, Audrey Appleby and Evalyn Collie – by driving dangerously.
He’s accused of failing to pay proper attention to the road ahead, falling asleep and repeatedly braking and driving into the opposing carriageway of the A96.
Others were injured in the collision close to the Drummuir junction, near Keith in Moray on July 26 in 2018.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard investigators concluded: “From the physical evidence available Alfredo Ciociola, while driving the motor vehicle WT17 DKU, has for an unknown reason allowed the vehicle to enter the southbound lane into the path of motor car T13 EAC”.
They said there was no evidence to suggest the other driver of the SUV, Morag Smith, was driving other than in a normal way and it was not known what, if any, time she had to react to the approaching minibus.
Pc Stephen Morrison was asked if there were signs of sudden skidding or braking at the crash scene.
He said: “No. There were no marks on the road surface.”
No mechanical defects
Advocate depute Derick Nelson asked, if that had happened, would he have expected there would be some physical signs on the road and he replied: “Yes”.
He said the road surface was good and both vehicles had been checked for pre-existing mechanical defects and damage to tyres that could have caused the collision, with negative results.
The court heard that Italian tourist Ciociola had set out from Edinburgh and was driving towards Inverness via Stonehaven at the time of the crash, shortly before midnight.
Ms Smith and her passengers were on their way home from a line dancing event in Elgin.
The trial, before Lord Mulholland, continues.
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