A boy racer has admitted killing a Montrose grandmother-of-four who had a passion for helping others.
Investigators suspect 61-year-old Dolores Humphries turned and faced her killer’s car moments before she was struck, Edinburgh High Court heard on Thursday.
Arran McPherson was behind the wheel of his black Honda Civic when he hit Mrs Humphries as she walked her dog on Newhame Road, Montrose, on December 11 2021.
The court heard how the 22-year-old was travelling at about 50mph when he lost control of his vehicle on a long sweeping bend and overturned.
McPherson, of Reform Street, Montrose, pled guilty to causing Mrs Humphries’ death by dangerous driving.
Following the hearing, her family described her as a “pillar of the community” affectionately known as Saint Doe.
In a statement, they said: “She provided everyone with the best memories and laughs – from singing songs with her own made up words, to volunteering in the community to helping others as a home carer.
“Dolores was one of those rare people in life who had the capacity to make others feel good about themselves with her contagious enthusiasm for life, happiness and selflessness.”
Walking home when she was struck by car
Prosecutor Alex Prentice KC told the court: “The car mounted the pavement and travelled onto the grass verge.
“The wheels at this point were broadside. They were not pointing in the direction the car was travelling.
“The accused sought to correct his course and steered to his offside causing the car to rotate in the other direction – clockwise – whilst it was on the grass verge.”
Mr Prentice said: “As the car crossed the grass verge and went back over the pavement, it struck Mrs Humphries with its near side causing her to be thrown a considerable distance.
“Mrs Humphries was walking home which meant she had her back to the accused’s car.
“From the injuries she sustained and the damage profile to the car, it appears that she may have turned and faced the car when it struck her.”
Carer for elderly and vulnerable
Mr Prentice told the court McPherson was a first offender who worked as a joiner and lived with his girlfriend.
He was also fully insured and had an MoT certificate for the vehicle.
The court heard Mrs Humphries was born in Dublin and her family moved to Liverpool when she was seven-years-old.
She met her husband Walter, who served in the armed forces, and married him at 18.
The couple had lived in Montrose since 1993. She was a mum-of-three, with four grandchildren.
Mr Prentice added: “Mrs Humphries worked with two part time jobs at the time of her death – in the citizens advice bureau and Care About Angus where she was a carer for the elderly and vulnerable in the community.
“Mr Humphries explains that she was particularly passionate about helping others.”
Excessive speed
The court heard that in the time before the collision, McPherson had been in a friend’s house near Newhame Road.
Eyewitnesses heard the Civic coming along the road and commented on the loud exhaust.
Mr Prentice added: “It was obvious to those witnesses that that the accused was driving in excess of the speed limit at the locus.
“Calculations carried out by collision investigators caused them to conclude that the accused’s vehicle was travelling at about 50 miles per hour.”
Mr Prentice also told the court that the sound of collision was “heard” by another dog walker nearby.
Members of Mrs Humphries’s family wept as Mr Prentice said: “After striking Mrs Humphries, the car crossed the pavement again and re-entered the carriageway, crossed to the other side of the road where it struck the kerb causing it to overturn onto its roof and come to rest.
“Another dog walker was in the area at the time of the collision and became aware of the sound of the collision.
“She turned round and saw the accused’s car overturn. Several other people stopped to give assistance and an ambulance was called.
“The accused got out of his car and went to Mrs Humphries. He tried to help her by attempting to get the blood out of her mouth and he took off his jacket and placed it under her head.”
Mr Prentice said: “He was shocked and distressed. He and others rendered assistance until the ambulance crew arrived.
“A Scottish Ambulance Service crew attended within 10 minutes and rendered assistance to Mrs Humphries, but she went into cardiac arrest and died at the scene.”
Crash investigation
Mr Prentice also told Lord Beckett that collision investigators concluded that McPherson had probably attempted to steer the vehicle to gain control.
He added: “The investigators concluded that it is highly likely that the accused lost control while travelling at excessive speed on the left hand bend.
“This may have led the driver to experience an unsafe sensation causing him to react by applying the brakes while steering to the left. This may have resulted in vehicle instability and loss of control.”
Defence advocate Mark Stewart KC told Lord Beckett that since his client was a first offender, the court would need to have a report on his background before he could be sentenced.
Mr Stewart told the court that McPherson was remorseful for his actions and had instructed him to enter a guilty plea.
He added: “He appreciates the extreme gravity of the matter. He appreciates the gravity of the extreme loss that Mrs Humphries’s family feel.
“He is fully aware that the outcome of this plea will be a custodial sentence.”
Saint Doe
In a statement issued through Digby Brown Solicitors, her family said: “Dolores was lots of things to many people – wife, mother, granny, daughter, sister, friend and pillar of the community – but the one thing everyone had in common was they all adored Saint Doe.
“This was evidenced by our shock – and appreciation – to seeing what felt like hundreds of people turn out at her funeral.”
The family continued: “In terms of the verdict here (in court) today, we acknowledge it but we don’t want to dwell on that man or what happens next to him.
“We already know the opinions of bereaved families mean little to the criminal justice system.
“Instead, we’d simply like to invite people to remember Saint Doe, celebrate her life, remember the good times and see if we can all carry on her legacy together to live good, happy lives – that is what Dolores would have wanted and also what she deserves.”
The statement adds: “We’d finally just like to extend our deepest thanks to everyone who has supported us during this difficult time and request that media requests our privacy as we attempt to move forward.”
MacPherson, who has been disqualified from driving in the interim, will be sentenced at Glasgow High Court on August 29.
For the latest court cases across Tayside and Fife, join our Courts Facebook page.
