A pensioner has gone trial accused of killing a 91-year-old pedestrian in a Nairn road accident.
Christina Cameron’s car struck James Alexander on January 21 2021 and he died of his injuries in hospital several days later.
The 75-year-old, of Osprey Road, Nairn, is standing trial at Inverness Sheriff Court accused of causing his death by careless driving.
It’s alleged she drove her Mazda without due care and consideration for other road users, failed to maintain proper observations, failed to give way at the junction where the accident happened and collided with another car, a Honda.
Catriona James, the driver of the Honda, gave evidence on day one of the trial and told fiscal depute Niall Macdonald about the moments leading up the tragedy, which happened at around 5pm at the Thurlow Road junction with Seafield Street.
The 49-year-old medical secretary said: “I saw the elderly gentleman standing on the pavement and I thought what is he doing out on a night like this?
“The next thing there was a bang. I saw lights from the side. I didn’t know what had happened.
“I thought I had better put my brakes on or I was going to hit a wall. I was shocked, stopped and got out. Then I saw the man.
“The old lady in the other car had also got out. I think I said ‘I didn’t do anything – it is not my fault’. Then I felt bad about accusing her. She was shocked the same as me.”
Although there were a handful of people in the area around the junction at the time, no one saw what happened.
‘The driver of the Mazda seemed confused by what had happened’
Golf gange manager Keith MacPherson told the court he was walking along the road when he heard the collision behind him.
He said: “The driver of the Honda was quite vocal and distressed so I knew she was alright. I went to see the pedestrian lying on the ground and I asked him what his name was.
“He replied and I asked him if he was okay. He said he was cold. Someone put a jacket over him. The driver of the Mazda seemed confused by what had happened.”
Ben Booker-Millburn, 19, was out walking his dog with his mother when he passed Mr Alexander on the pavement and smiled at him.
He went on: “Then I heard the bang. I didn’t see him but saw that two cars were totalled – badly damaged.
“I put a jacket over the man and then saw two women who were quite distressed. The older woman had breathing problems and was complaining of chest pains.”
After the collision, the council repainted the Give Way signage
Nearby resident Anny Bryce heard the bang and came out of her house to investigate.
She said she gave Mrs James, whom she knew, a hug and then went to check on Cameron.
She said: “There was a body lying covered in coats and blankets. An elderly lady was walking around in circles. I went to get a chair for her. I thought she was talking to herself, she was wandering about in a daze.
“After the collision, the council repainted the Give Way signage on the road and put up a sign at the junction.”
Paramedic Emma Beatham, who attended to Cameron, said the pensioner’s blood pressure was raised and she complained of chest pain but her ECG was normal and she did not appear disorientated.
However, doctor Shona Haggerty, who examined Cameron at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, told the court: “I asked her some questions. She said she was not feeling faint or dizzy nor had shortness of breath shortly before the accident.”
‘She did not recall being unwell before the accident’
The doctor added that a protein in Cameron’s blood was present which was a marker of cardiac damage.
She said it could have been caused by blood putting pressure on the heart after Cameron’s sternum was broken in the collision.
Defence counsel Ewan Dow asked her: “Are you aware of syncope (fainting) where there are no typical symptoms?”
The doctor replied: “Yes there can be.”
Mr Dow asked her if she had been able to get a clear explanation of what happened from his client.
Dr Haggerty replied: “After talking to her, I had no sense of what happened. She did not recall being unwell before the accident but she could have been.”
The trial, before Sheriff Ian Cruickshank, continues.
