Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
High court trial: ‘It was pretty chaotic’
Glenn Craib, 46, denies causing the death of Witold Solski, formerly of Balmoral Gardens, by blocking the outside lane of the A90 Dundee-Aberdeen road with his lorry.
It is alleged he stopped on the central reservation with part of the lorry still in the carriageway at the Nether Careston junction in November 2015.
Mr Solski, a Polish national, died after the white Skoda Octavia he was driving collided with the trailer.
The 65-year-old was cut free from the vehicle but pronounced dead at the roadside.
Lawyers acting for Craib entered a not guilty plea on his behalf on the first day of proceedings at the High Court in Aberdeen.
Jurors heard the details of the “chaotic” scene described by a police officer.
PC Jack Swindles, 27, attempted to check for signs of life from Mr Solski following the crash.
He told the court: “We were in Brechin and we got a call to attend the A90.
“We were there within two to three minutes of getting the call and I saw a tractor trailer stationary and a number of people nearby.
“I alighted from my vehicle and I approached the white Skoda Octavia.
“I could see from the windscreen backwards was completely closed down. I went to the front passenger seat and climbed into the vehicle.
“I could see the left side of the driver’s face and his eyes were open. I thought he might still have been breathing.
“I left the vehicle and it was pretty chaotic.”
The court was shown dashboard camera footage from Craib’s lorry which showed him pulling over into a bus stop. PC Swindles recalled having a conversation with Craib.
He added: “A male approached me as I was directing traffic and asked if he could go back in his truck.
“He said to me that he was the second vehicle involved in the accident.”
Jurors also heard from a statement of evidence agreed between prosecutors and Craib’s lawyers.
The facts agreed include that Craib, of Elgin, was the driver of the lorry as well as the post-mortem which found Mr Solski died of chest and abdominal injuries caused by blunt force trauma.
The trial before Lord Morris continues.
A MAN has gone on trial accused of killing a Dundee man by dangerous driving.