Car crash that killed two of driver's family was 'like an air crash'

Published on Saturday 26 September 2009 01:52

A MOTORIST reached speeds of 130mph on a country road before crashing and killing his partner and her mother, a court has heard. Stephen Macpherson was taking his family for a drive in their new car when he lost control at a humpback bridge. The vehicle flew into the air and bounced across a field, leaving a scene of devastation that investigators likened to a plane crash.

Lynn Paterson, 41, and Margaret McGarvie, 70, died from the injuries they suffered in the accident in the Highlands two and a half years ago. Two girls aged 10 and 15, who were also in the car, were seriously injured.

Macpherson, of Buchan Road, Troon, Ayrshire, admitted causing the two deaths by dangerous driving at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday.

The case has taken so long to come to court because Macpherson suffered such a serious head injury he has only now recovered enough to appear.

Macpherson and Mrs Paterson had moved to Balblair on the Black Isle, Easter Ross, from Ayrshire about a year before the crash. He worked at a filling station and she was a deputy matron of a nursing home.

On 17 April 2007, Mrs Paterson collected a Peugeot 406 from a garage in Inverness, and Macpherson took her for a run in it at about 7:30pm.

Mrs McGarvie, of Walden Road, Hurlford, Ayrshire, had been visiting her daughter and she went on the trip, as did the two girls.

Part of the route was a section of the B9163 known locally as the "Culicudden straight" which has a humpback bridge at one end.

"As the accused drove along the straight, he began to accelerate," said the advocate-depute, Andrew Stewart, QC. "Up to that point, none of the occupants had been concerned. Mrs McGarvie was so concerned she was holding on to the car door handle.

"The speed was such that the ten-year-old girl could hardly see anything outside the windows other than a 'blur'. Shortly before the bridge, she noted the speedomoter was pointing between 110mph and 120mph.

"The older girl also looked at the speedometer and from where she was sitting saw that it read 130mph."

Macpherson ignored shouts to slow down and lost control while crossing the bridge. The car became airborne and struck a dry stone dyke, which acted as a ramp and threw the vehicle into the air and into an adjacent field. Mr Stewart said: "The collision investigator described the scene he found as more like the scene of a small air crash rather than a car crash."

The farmer who owned the field and his wife, a nurse, arrived quickly to try to help the injured. The nurse thought initially that she felt a pulse on Mrs Paterson, but shortly afterwards noticed the pulse had gone.

Mrs McGarvie died in hospital from multiple injuries two days later. The two girls were also seriously injured.

"The accused continues to suffer effects of a severe head injury. He has been psychiatrically examined and is sane and fit to plead. The delay in appearing (in court] related solely to his medical condition," said Mr Stewart.

He was remanded in custody to be sentenced in November.