Cocaine motorist drove wrong way and killed biker
‘Ability to drive was impaired’
A MOTORIST is facing jail after driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway and killing a biker while high on cocaine.
William McLean admitted snorting five lines of the drug five hours before getting behind the wheel.
The 35-year-old, of Glasgow, repeatedly drove at an excessive speed and veered into the path of oncoming vehicles before smashing head-on into motorcyclist Allan Nicholson, 24, who was on his way to work. McLean, a warehouse manager, pleaded guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to causing death by dangerous driving.
Yesterday, the father of two was told he will be jailed – but he was granted bail ahead of sentencing so that he could see his daughter start school next week.
The smash happened on the A725 East Kilbride Expressway in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, on November 10. Prosecutor Alex Prentice, QC, told the court that before the fatal crash at 6.40am, five drivers had to take evasive action to avoid a crash.
Mr Prentice said: ‘Mr Nicholson was studying civil engineering and worked parttime as a sales assistant with Sainsbury’s on Great Western Road, Glasgow.
‘[He] overtook a bus on the dual carriageway and the accused’s white Ford Mondeo collided head-on with his Suzuki motorcycle. Mr Nicholson was thrown from the motorcycle, landing on the carriageway as the motorbike burst into flames.’
He died at the scene. McLean got out of his car and asked motorists who had stopped to help: ‘What have I done?’
He then ran across the carriageway and tried to scale a wall. People chased and held him until police arrived.
Mr Prentice said: ‘Mr McLean’s ability to drive was impaired by his ingestion of cocaine.’
He added: ‘The accused told police he had taken five lines of cocaine about five hours before the collision.’
The court was shown footage from vehicle dashcams of the lead-up to the crash. As it played, members of Mr Nicholson’s family left in tears.
Defence QC Tony Graham said: ‘I am instructed to publicly apologise to the family and friends of Mr Nicholson.
‘Mr McLean’s actions caused the destruction of a life.’
Mr Graham asked for McLean’s bail to be continued, saying: ‘His five-year-old daughter will start school next week. That is a milestone in her life and he would like to be there.’
Judge Lord Brodie granted the request but told McLean his offence ‘can only be dealt with properly with the imposition of a custodial sentence’.
Sentencing was deferred until August 27.
McLean was banned from driving in the meantime.