A nine-year-old girl had to be airlifted to hospital after a crash caused by a dangerous driver left her fighting for her life.
The youngster suffered serious head injuries, a punctured lung and multiple fractures in the three-car crash after Kieran MacPherson lost control of his car.
The 24-year-old’s Fiat Abarth struck another car after overtaking on a bend and sent that driver flying into the girl’s father’s Nissan Juke on the A941 between Dufftown and Craigellachie on February 23 2020.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told that doctors who treated the girl following the horrific collision estimated an 18-month recovery time.
Fiscal depute Susan Love said that MacPherson’s Fiat Abarth drove along the A941 at excessive speed for the road and performed an overtake of the girl’s father’s white SUV on a bend.
Out of control car travelled sideways
“He pulled away from him too fast,” she said. “No braking was observed. Multiple witnesses recall seeing his vehicle as being out of control as it rounded the bend and came towards them sideways.”
The court heard that MacPherson collided with a grey Audi coming in the opposite direction which rotated on the road and hit the father and daughter’s car.
“The accused’s vehicle came to rest facing north, partly on the grass verge and southbound carriageway – approximately 100 metres north of the others. He appeared to be uninjured,” Ms Love said.
The nine-year-old who was wearing a seat belt was unconscious and was taken to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin before being transferred to Edinburgh by air ambulance with life-threatening injuries.
Girl left fighting for her life
The others involved in the crash were able to get out of the vehicles themselves and the road was closed for 12 hours, the court heard.
The young girl suffered a major head injury, a punctured lung, a lacerated liver, and fractures to her spine, shoulder, leg and collarbone.
Her father also suffered a spinal fracture and muscle damage to his left shoulder.
The three people in the Audi suffered extensive bruising.
MacPherson, of Dufftown, admitted causing serious injury to the girl and her father, who cannot be named for legal reasons, by driving dangerously.
Sheriff Sara Matheson called for background reports and a restriction of liberty order assessment and deferred sentence until next month.
MacPherson was disqualified from driving in the interim and had his bail continued.
