A man has gone on trial accused of causing the death of his teenage friend in a horrific crash on the A90 near St Fergus.
Jake Summers, 21, denies driving his red Ford Fiesta without due care and attention and at excessive speed when the vehicle collided with two trees on October 4 2020.
It’s claimed that Dylan Irvine, 19, from Peterhead, was killed due to the severity of the injuries he suffered
Summers is accused of losing control of his car, causing it to cross into the opposing lane of the A90 carriageway where it struck the trees.
The car came to rest in a field between Peterhead and Fraserburgh and Summers, of Harbour Street, Peterhead, was also seriously injured in the crash, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
A90 crash scene described as ‘catastrophic’
During the first day of evidence, jurors heard from Police Sergeant Sarah Ritchie, who was a road traffic officer who responded to a report of a road traffic collision.
She confirmed that the crash had occurred around 9.30pm on October 4 2020, but was not reported to emergency services until 7.30am the following morning – more than ten hours later.
The officer told the court that when she saw the crashed car she noticed extensive damage to the front and “blood and brain matter” within the vehicle.
Three drivers, who had also used the road on the night of the collision, also gave evidence.
They described the road conditions as “drizzly” and “wet” with one witness describing a section of “standing water” near the crash site.
Jurors were also shown images of the mangled Ford Fiesta following the crash.
They showed the devastating damage to the front passenger side, which had been almost completely ripped away.
Another witness, Police Constable Craig Ward described the damage sustained by the Ford Fiesta as “catastrophic”.
Peterhead teen Dylan Irvine sent Snapchat messages moments before A90 crash
PC Ward was asked by fiscal depute John Adams about the full extent of the crash.
The police officer replied: “It was certainly catastrophic damage to the near side of the vehicle and around the passenger door on the near side.
“Injuries would be substantial to anyone inside that car,” he added.
The jury was then shown an aerial view of the scene.
It showed where emergency service first responders found Mr Irvine and Summers lying outside the vehicle in a field.
Defence counsel David Moggach quizzed PC Ward about the wet conditions and whether he and a colleague had tried to recreate the same conditions when doing a daytime and nighttime “drive-through” of the location.
“It was more about your shift pattern, rather than trying to replicate the conditions?” he asked.
PC Ward answered: “It was more about trying to do it when it wasn’t dry”.
Emotional evidence was also heard from Marni Wallace, 23, and Ally McBride, 22, who described how they had each been sent a Snapchat image and video by Dylan Irvine moments before the fatal crash.
The court was shown messages the witnesses sent in response, to which Mr Irvine never replied.
The trial, before Sheriff Morag McLaughlin, continues.
UPDATE: Click here for the jury’s verdict and reaction from Dylan’s mum Amanda
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