Man killed by own pick-up truck in Highlands layby

The freak accident happened on the A835 Ullapool to Tore road at Leanaig, by Dingwall, at about 6.25pm on Tuesday.

It occurred as commuters were heading home on the busy trunk road.

Fire crews used air bags to lift the vehicle and free the 44-year-old Croatian man, named locally as married self-employed electrician Marko Srsen, who was living in Inverness with his wife, who is a local.

But he was pronounced dead at the scene having suffered fatal injuries.

The victim was found at the front of his blue Ford Ranger truck which was parked in a layby on the southbound carriageway, just past the Leanaig junction.

The road was closed for three and a half hours as road accident police investigators carried out the inquiries.

Motorists were diverted on to the unclassified Old Leanaig Road, a back road which runs parallel to the A835 between the Conon Bridge and Leanaig junctions.

Blocks had been placed at the vehicle’s wheels to prevent it from rolling further back.

One emergency service source said: “It seems this man pulled over in to the layby for some reason, probably to do with the vehicle. He may have broken down.

“As a result of this, he seems to have been checking under the vehicle, or had tried to stop it from rolling back, as it was on a slope in the layby, and became trapped under the wheel.

“Whatever the reason, it is a real tragedy.”

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Police, fire brigade and ambulance service attended.

“Unfortunately it was found that a 44 year old male had sustained fatal injuires.

“The A835 was closed for three-and-a-half hours whilst officers from Divisional Road Policing and Trunk Roads Policing Group carried out enquiries at the locus.

“Police Scotland are asking anyone who may have seen a blue Ford Ranger parked in a lay by on the A835 between Maryburgh roundabout and Tore around this time to contact them on 101.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said crews from Dingwall and a heavy rescue unit from Inverness with specialist cutting equipment attended the scene. A second crew was later sent to provide further assistance.

He added: “We assisted at the scene but there wasn’t anything that we could do to change what had happened.

“We used air bags to lift the vehicle as the driver was trapped but that is all we can say.”

Police are asking for anyone who may have information about the incident to contact them on 101.

Meanwhile, a woman was taken to hospital after her car crashed and overturned on the A9 north of Inverness near to the scene of the tragedy.

The accident happened at the Tore roundabout at about 13:30.

Firefighters stabilised the car before helping to free the driver from the wreckage. She was taken by ambulance to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. Her condition is unknown.

Also, Police Scotland has issued a renewed appeal for witnesses following a fatal crash on Christmas Eve on the A96 Huntly to Glens of Foudland road, near Bains Hole.

Catherine Cordiner, 65, was airlifted to hospital from the scene and later died.

Mrs Cordiner, from Lossiemouth, was driving a silver BMW 3 series that crashed with a black Audi A3 being driven by a 58-year-old man. There were no passengers in either vehicle.

Both drivers were taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where Mrs Cordiner later died. The man was was treated for a broken collarbone and other minor injuries.

Inspector Ewan Innes from the Aberdeenshire and Moray Division Road Policing Unit said: “We would like to renew our appeal for witnesses to this collision.

“There would have been numerous cars in the area at the time travelling on this section of road that may have seen something and I would appeal to those drivers to come forward.

“It is possible that drivers were travelling for the festive period and we would appeal to those people to come forward. We would be keen to speak to anyone who saw the collision or who may have information.

“Anyone who may have witnessed the collision is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101 or, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to remain anonymous.”