A windfarm worker killed his best friend when he drove his van out of a junction and into the path of an oncoming lorry.
Tomasz Aleksandruk, a Polish national, was looking in the wrong direction when he pulled onto the A9 in his Ford Transit with workmate Maik Balzat in the passenger seat.
The crash, at the junction of an unclassified road at Mains of Balavil, about a mile north of Kingussie, killed his 34-year-old friend instantly, Inverness Sheriff Court was told.
Aleksandruk, who is now living in Lehrte, Germany, admitted causing death by careless driving today.
Fiscal depute Niall Macdonald told the court that at around noon on June 24 2020 the two men were on their way back from a windfarm in the area after being told they weren’t required to work.
“Their left-hand drive van was on an unclassified road and there was a give way line at the junction onto the A9,” he said.
“He stopped and pulled out with the intention of going north and crossed into the path of a Scania vehicle pulling a trailer travelling south.
“The HGV was unable to avoid a collision and hit the van head-on.”
Mr Macdonald said Aleksandruk, 42, and Mr Balzat, who suffered multiple injuries, were trapped in their van.
The accused had a seizure and had to be taken to hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries. He was discharged on July 5.
A9 crash caused by ‘momentary loss of concentration’
Mr Macdonald added: “When interviewed by police, he said he looked both ways and could not see any danger. He said that Maik was a big man and may have blocked his view.”
Aleksandruk was unable to make a personal appearance at court today and defence solicitor Paul Dunn asked Sheriff Gary Aitken to deal with the case in his client’s absence.
Mr Dunn explained: “He was on his way to get a flight from Gatwick to Inverness. But most of the airlines were diverting their aircraft to Greece to evacuate tourists caught up in the wildfires.”
Mr Dunn said his client had always accepted responsibility for the death of his “best friend”.
“He thinks of him every day. He can only think he looked left first and not right which he should have checked first,” said Mr Dunn.
“It was a momentary loss of concentration and the consequences have been tragic.
“He was badly injured having broken his arm, lost hearing in one ear and has restricted movement down the right side of his body, which has left him with pain all his life.”
Sheriff Aitken said: “It is surprising he survived at all.”
Fining Aleksandruk £2,000 and banning him from driving in the UK for 14 months, the sheriff said: “This was an appalling incident with dreadful consequences for all.
“Driving is a significant responsibility and a very minor inattention can have terrible consequences.
“There is nothing I can do to bring Mr Balzat back or put a value on his life.”
