A speeding under-the-influence driver caused a terrifying two-car smash which brought the A9 to a standstill.
Christopher Harper crashed into another car while attempting a dodgy overtaking manoeuvre during a torrential downpour.
Perth Sheriff Court heard the 41-year-old ploughed his Honda Civic into the central barrier, while the red Ford Fiesta he struck went spinning out of control.
Its driver Lynne Powell was trapped inside her vehicle and had to be rescued by firefighters.
And debris from the smash was thrown into the other carriageway, forcing oncoming vehicles to take evasive action.
Cut free by firefighters
Harper, of Kettins Terrace, Dundee, pled guilty to dangerous driving along the dual carriageway at excessive speed for the horrendous weather conditions on October 20 2022, near the Findo Gask turn-off.
Although prosecutors agreed to drop allegations he was driving at four-times the drug drive limit with a cocaine metabolite in his system, the court was told he was “under the influence” at the time of the collision.
Prosecutor Sam Craib told the court: “At about 11am, Ms Powell was travelling north along the A9 to visit some family.
“She was travelling along the same section of road as the accused.
“At the time, the weather conditions were poor with heavy rain and standing water.”
Mr Craib said: “Ms Powell was in lane one and doing about 60mph (in a 70mph stretch) because of the conditions.
“The accused went into lane two and began overtaking vehicles, including a bus.
“Witnesses on the bus observed the accused driving past them at a speed which they considered as too fast for the road conditions.
“The accused overtook another vehicle and witnesses there formed the same opinion.”
Bad overtaking
The fiscal depute said: “As the accused passed Ms Powell’s vehicle he moved back into lane one in front of her.
“But he had not left sufficient space and struck the front of her car.”
Both vehicles lost control and Harper went into the central barrier.
“Debris was then thrown onto the opposite side of the road, meaning vehicles travelling south had to take evasive action,” said Mr Craib.
“Ms Powell’s vehicle began spinning and went sideways multiple times, before coming to stop on all four wheels.
“The road was completely blocked, and Ms Powell was trapped in her car.
“People stopped to assist.”
The court heard that Ms Powell was still inside her vehicle when emergency services arrived.
She was cut free by firefighters.
Mr Craib told Sheriff Simon Collins KC: “It is only fair to inform you, that the accused was under the influence at the time.”
Trauma after crash
Solicitor Linda Clark, defending, said: “It is accepted that a blood analysis was carried out on the accused which indicated a positive response.”
She said her client did not give himself enough time to complete his overtaking manoeuvre.
“He effectively clips the other vehicle,” she said. “It was certainly an error of judgement.
“Following this incident, Mr Harper was significantly traumatised.”
The court heard that he now suffers from PTSD and is unable to work.
Sheriff Collins deferred sentence for background reports.
“A substantial period of disqualification is inevitable,” he told Harper.
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