A fatal accident inquiry heard that a sudden brake failure could explain the crash which killed a lorry driver at a notorious A9 blackspot.
Bruce Cormack, 41, died after his HGV left the Inverness to Thurso road and overturned at the southern Berriedale Braes just after 11pm on September 18 last year.
The father-of-one was on his way home to Caithness from Invergordon when the tragedy happened on the day of the referendum vote.
Yesterday at Wick Sheriff Court, eye-witnesses told how they tried to comfort Mr Cormack at the scene, but he died before the emergency services arrived.
During the inquiry, it emerged that the lorry’s tachograph – a device measuring speed – revealed that the vehicle slowed from 42mph to 20mph before increasing to 36mph, recording a final speed of 24mph.
A report revealed a defective part affected the air supply to two of the brakes, halving their efficiency.
Vehicle examiner and testing officer, Ian Brown, who produced the report, said: “The reduced braking effort could have contributed to this incident. It is my opinion that the brakes stopped working somewhere at Berriedale.”
He added that although it was unclear exactly when the brakes had stopped working, he expected Mr Cormack was experienced enough to deal with any problems, given enough time.
He added that the vehicle had no valid test certificate, which was something he was “surprised” about.
Police constable Scott Lemmon said the tachograph chart showed a routine journey that would suggest no repeated braking problems.
Mr Lemmon added: “The driver slowed to 20mph going down Berriedale Braes, but then the vehicle has sped up and has been unable to negotiate the bend at this speed.”
Driver Katrina Macgee, who was first on the scene, said: “The cab was completely upside down.
“When I tried to call 999, I kept getting cut off and, at the time, I felt like I was leaving the guy too long and went back to reassure him.
“He was responding, but not with words, just noises.”
Another driver, Liam Brinded, arrived soon after and said that he talked to Mr Cormack for a “considerable length of time” before emergency services arrived.
He added: “There was a moment about two or three minutes before emergency services arrived when the gentleman passed away. I heard a very strange exhaling sound and I think that was the point when he passed away.”
A postmortem report concluded that Mr Cormack died from “crush asphyxia”.
The inquiry heard how Mr Cormack’s brother Stuart, 30, a police officer, was initially called to the crash – but was kept back from the scene.
Mr Cormack lived at Durran near Castletown and is survived by his wife Lynn, son Scott, parents Sandy and Jane and brothers James and Stuart.