Motorist spared jail for causing A9 crash by Carrbridge which left another driver disabled
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A motorist who lost consciousness in his car and drove head-on into a Mitsubishi Outlander, badly injuring the driver, has been spared a jail sentence at Inverness Sheriff Court.
Mystery still surrounds why 37 year old Stephen Hughes of Stewart Avenue, Blantyre appeared to fall asleep at the wheel on the A9 near Carrbridge on October 3, 2018 and left the other driver disabled.
His lawyer, Stephen McQuillan told Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald that dashcam footage showed his client slumped over the wheel before driving into the path of the oncoming 4x4.
He added that Hughes had not driven for four years since what he described as 'a terrible accident'.
Mr McQuillan went on: "He is deeply remorseful for this but it cannot match the impact it has had on the other driver.
"My client surrendered his driving licence because he couldn't get an answer to what happened to him that day. He had not lost consciousness previously at any time.
"We have never got to the bottom of this.
"It was a sudden lapse of consciousness and has not been repeated. He is never going to drive again."
Sheriff Macdonald ordered Hughes to carry out 160 hours of unpaid community work and banned him from driving for 21 months after he previously admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
She said it was an alternative to custody.
He must resit the extended test of competency before getting his licence back.
But the Sheriff warned him: "That is if you decide to drive again but it would be unwise in your circumstances. This was a serious accident with serious consequences and it is difficult to assess your culpability as to why it occurred."
At an earlier hearing, fiscal depute Robert Weir told the court that the reason it took so long to come to court was because of medical examinations carried out by the defence.
"If they had been successful, the Crown would have taken a different view."
Mr Weir went on: "A witness noticed him slumped forward at the wheel as if he was asleep."
He added that the accident happened at the A939 junction for Carrbridge on the A9 and Hughes' Fiat 500 veered onto the opposite carriageway as if to take the junction but there were no brake lights applied.
Mr Weir told the court: "The other driver suffered a pinched nerve in his spine and can now only walk with crutches. He has been declared disabled, only works two days a week and requires a mobility car."
