A speeding Moray motorist whose dangerous driving caused a serious four-car pile-up on the A98 has been given a 43-month road ban.
David Grant’s passenger told him to “slow down” in the moments before the horrific impact, Inverness Sheriff Court was told.
Witnesses said that Grant – then 21 – was speeding as he tried to overtake on the A98 Buckie to Fochabers road at Tynet on August 28 2020.
Grant then lost control of his blue Fiat Grande Punto, crashing into two other cars and causing one of them to spin into the path of a third.
Fiscal depute Robert Weir said around 4.10pm, Grant was travelling west with a front seat passenger in his car.
David Grant’s severely injured passenger told him to slow down before the A98 crash at Tynet
As he overtook two vehicles – exceeding the 60mph speed limit – the passenger “felt the accused was driving too fast and told him to slow down”.
A number of witnesses also reported seeing the car travelling above the limit.
Soon after, he lost control of his vehicle and collided with the rear offside of a white Vauxhall Mokka, causing it to flip onto its roof.
Grant’s car then collided “head-on” with a white Mini Countryman, spinning it into the path of a white BMW 118d that was attempting to avoid the collision.
The Fiat was also flipped by the impact and landed on its roof, with members of the public helping Grant and his passenger from the vehicle.
All the cars involved were extensively damaged.
Speeding Elgin driver David Grant lacerated his passenger’s liver, lungs and kidneys
Emergency services were called and Grant’s passenger was airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where he was found to have lacerations to his liver, lungs and kidneys.
Grant himself suffered compound fractures to his forearm, a ruptured spleen, internal bleeding and bruising and was taken to hospital by ambulance.
The now-24-year-old previously appeared in the dock and pled guilty to a single charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Grant’s solicitor at the time, Grant Daglish told Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald his client was currently under a community payback order, prompting the sheriff to call for pre-sentencing reports.
When he reappeared in court to be punished, Grant’s defence agent Brent Lockie said: “Since this offence, he has been placed on two community payback orders this year and has fully cooperated.
“Reading the report, it appears to me he is turning a corner now and is moving in the right direction.
“He has some hours of unpaid work left to do and this could be dealt with by another community payback order,” Mr Lockie said.
A98 crash driver David Grant told: ‘You were driving your car ridiculously dangerously’
Sheriff Macdonald agreed, telling Grant: “You were a young man of 21 when this occurred.
“It was a serious driving incident and you were driving your car ridiculously dangerously, causing significant harm.
“But it appears to me that you are growing up a bit and I am prepared to deal with this without sending you into custody.”
Grant, of Morriston Road in Elgin, was ordered to carry out 108 hours of unpaid community work and remain under social work supervision for two years.
He was also disqualified from driving for 43 months.
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