The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Woman, 32, dies after car smashes into tree
A WOMAN died after the car she was driving veered off a north-east road yesterday .
The 32-year-old driver was airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where she later died, police said.
The silver Ford Ka she was driving came off the A981 near to New Deer in Aberdeenshire at 6pm.
Police closed the road for five hours while an investigation at the scene was carried out.
A spokesman for the police said: “Police Scotland can confirm that following a one-vehicle road traffic collision on the A981 New Deer to Maud Road, the 32-year-old female occupant of the ve- hicle has died.” It appeared that the car had hit a tree – with the left side of the vehicle bearing the brunt of the collision– but the woman was able to escape via the driver’s door.
Both an air and a road ambulance were called out and the motorist, believed to be local, was flown to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Police closed the road as accident in- vestigators tried to piece together what had led to the crash.
A dozen fire fighters were called out to make the scene safe, then left at 7.10pm. The road was fully reopened at 11.20pm.
Earlier yesterday, a biker who was airlifted to hospital 10 days ago after a crash on a Deeside road also died.
Mark McConnachie, 44, from Broughty Ferry, had been in an induced coma at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary since the accident on the A93 near Coilacriech, Ballater, at noon on Sunday, June 2.
He died yesterday morning. His partner Linda had been keeping vigil at his bedside and his parents, Bill and Margaret McConnachie, who live at Wellbank, Angus, travelled to Aberdeen last Tuesday along with his brother Ian.
Mr McConnachie’s twin brother Paul arrived in Aberdeen from Halifax with his wife Sarah following news of the crash.
Mark McConnachie had been heading east with a group of motorcyclists when he and another rider crashed down an embankment.
Mr McConnachie’s bike, a red and silver Yamaha, came to rest against a tree on a grass verge. The other bike, a silver, black and orange Aprilia, ended up nearby.
Both bikers were airlifted to hospital, but the second rider – a 48-year-old believed to be from Kirriemuir – was later released from hospital after reportedly suffering broken ribs. The bikes did not crash into each other but came off the road at the same spot.
Sergeant David Pirie, of the Aberdeenshire and Moray division roads policing unit, said: “This was a serious collision and sadly a man has now died as a result of the incident. Our thoughts are with Mr McConnachie’s family and friends at this very difficult time. We know that Mr McConnachie was travelling east on the A93 along with a group of several other motorcyclists when the incident occurred.”
The accident happened about half a mile east of Coilacriech, Ballater.