Injured pensioner comforted Grantown crash driver
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A seriously injured pensioner comforted the driver of the vehicle that struck his car in a near head-on collision on a Highland road.
Rosamund Balyunzi of Courtyard Cottages, Forres was crying after the smash on the A939 on Dava Moor near Grantown on July 22, 2019 as she went to check on 81-year-old Graham Dunsford from Bristol.
He and his wife Sandra had been on an emotional trip to Dyke to visit the grave of their daughter on the anniversary of her death and were travelling to the Lake District for a few days holiday.
A jury at Inverness Sheriff Court heard that 47-year-old Balyunzi denied driving dangerously and crossing on to the other carriageway to collide with the Dunsfords car.
He was seriously injured, suffering several fractures and other injuries to his ribs, sternum and neck vertebrae. Mrs Dunsford also suffered injuries but not serious.
However Mr Dunsford told the jurors that as he was approaching a bend, Balyunzi's vehicle coming in the opposite direction appeared to make a sharp swerve to the right and crashed into him despite his efforts to avoid a collision.
"There was a horrendous bang. I went over the bank and into a ditch. I said to my wife to get out of the car because I had a full tank of fuel." Mr Dunsford told fiscal depute Robert Weir.
The court was told that other motorists helped the old couple out and as Mr Dunsford lay on the road, Balyunzi came over to him, crying.
"She said I am sorry. I said please don't cry." the retired print works manager said.
The driver behind Mr Dunsford was 58 year old Nigel Bird.
He said: "The car came round the bend and crashed into the side of the car in front of me. It took the bend too fast. I am not saying she was speeding but it came across the road and knocked the other one into the moor."
He accepted under cross examination by defence solicitor Graham Mann that he told police the road was greasy and thre was "a strong side wind which I could feel driving."
The trial continues.
