Drug driver travelled wrong direction on A9

A sheriff has heard how a man fuelled by a cocktail of drugs in his system drove in the wrong direction along a dual carriage on the A9.

He also went in the wrong direction at the Tore roundabout while his vehicle had lost all the rubber off a wheel and was running on its metal rim.

James Macaskill, (43), of Kilmuir Place, Invergordon was seen by another motorist driving erratically from the Maryburgh direction towards the roundabout hitting the verge on several occasions with smoke and debris coming of from the wheels of his car.

Macaskill admitted at Dingwall Sheriff Court to driving dangerously on May 31, 2011 on the A835 Maryburgh to Tore Road, the A9, Tore roundabout and Tore Filling Station having consumed drugs to the extent his driving was impaired.

The charge added he mounted verges repeatedly damaging the tyre of the front offside wheel and continued to drive the car on its metal rim northwards on the southbound carriageway of the A9 into the face of oncoming traffic and attempting to negotiate the roundabout in the wrong direction.

Depute Fiscal Stewart Maciver said Macaskill’s car was seen by a woman driving ahead of him repeatedly slowing down and speeding up when there was no need to do so. Eventually he came to a halt in a bus lay-by just south of the Tore interchange.

The female witness also stopped at the lay-by and contacted the police.

Mr Maciver then turned his car around and drove towards the roundabout in the wrong direction along the dual carriageway and took a right hand turn against the flow of traffic towards Tore Filling Station.

"The vehicle was effectively been driven on the wheel rim," said the fiscal.

Macaskill drove the car to Tore Filling Station where he was approached by police officers after he stopped the vehicle.

Mr Maciver said Macaskill climbed a bollard and was unsteady on his feet. "A breath test proved negative but officers were satisfied he was impaired."

A blood sample indicated a number of substances including, codeine, methadone, diazepam, morphine and other drugs.

Craig Wood solicitor said Macaskill had been a heroin addict and was on a methadone recovery programme but he had relapsed.

Mr Wood said Macaskill’s position was one of his tyres deflated and when he became aware of this he turned into the lay-by.

"Then he did something extremely foolish, turning round on the dual carriageway and taking the first exit to the right to the garage.

"The diazepam no doubt affected him.

"He did a remarkably stupid thing."

Sheriff John Halley said he wished to adjourn to consider sentencing.

When the court reconvened he told Macaskill given the serious nature of the charge he would require reports.

He disqualified Macaskill from driving and deferred sentence until March 15.

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