A84 crash driver to face trial

Three hurt on road

A man is to face trial, charged with seriously injuring two nine-year-old boys in a car crash on the A84 between Callander and Strathyre.

A baby aged 20 months is also alleged to have been injured in the accident , which happened near Loch Lubnaig.

An air ambulance and a Sea King helicopter from HMS Gannet were scrambled and used to take medical teams to the scene of the smash and transport the injured to hospital.

Archibald Toal, 55, is said to have been driving on the wrong side of A84 before the accident happened, causing one car to take evasive action before continuing on the wrong side of the road and colliding with an oncoming van.

The collision on September 13, 2015, is said to have caused extensive damage to Toal’s VW Golf and to the van, serious injury to two nine-year-old boys who were passengers in the Golf, and injury to the van’s driver Tara Coggans and a 20-monthold baby who was her passenger.

At Falkirk Sheriff Court on Wednesday Toal, of Aberdour, Fife, pleaded not guilty to causing injury by dangerous driving.

Defence counsel Louise Arrol asked for the case, which had been due to go to trial in a jury sitting in January, to be postponed.

She said the defence wanted to determine whether there was a basis for Toal losing concentration due to “issues of sleep” and for this he needed to be seen by a consultant at a sleep clinic, which could not be done until March.

Procurator fiscal depute Sarah Lumsden did not oppose the motion to adjourn and Sheriff Robert Dickson continued the case to May.

Toal’s bail was continued.