Campervan driver caused head-on smash that left woman badly hurt

A Swiss campervan driver steered into the path of an oncoming vehicle causing a head-on crash that left a woman with life-changing injuries.

Lucas Jaquier said a “bad reflex” caused him to turn to the right when he encountered another car on the A890 near Auchtertyre.

The action – which he blamed on being used to driving on the other side of the road – led to a smash that inflicted devastating injuries to hotel manager Sarah Archer, from Dornie.

Miss Archer, who was 35 at the time of last summer’s crash, was so badly injured that she had to rely on a wheelchair for five months and has only recently begun to walk and drive again.

Jaquier’s young son was also seriously injured in the incident and required ongoing medical treatment on their return to Switzerland.

Jaquier, 36, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court and admitted a charge of dangerous driving in relation to the July 30 crash.

Fiscal depute Emily Hood told the court that it was around 2.30pm when Jaquier’s grey Volkswagen California turned from the A97 onto the A890 near Auchtertyre.

She said: “As the accused completed the right-hand turn, he has remained on right-hand side of the road and continued like this as he negotiated a steep incline and right-hand bend.”

The court heard that Miss Archer was driving her blue Vauxhall Mokka and was negotiating the same bend in the opposite direction.

“The vehicles have collided head-on,” Ms Hood added. “The collision was in the lefthand lane – on the righthand side for the accused.”

Jaquier identified himself as the driver and told police: “It was a bad reflex because I’m used to driving on the other side of the road.”

Jaquier escaped the incident with cuts and bruises but Miss Archer suffered fractures to her wrists, fingers, knees and toes. She spent five months in a wheelchair.

Sheriff Gary Aitken fined Jaquier, of Route de Forestal, Geneva, £6,350 and disqualified him from driving in the UK for 16 months.

Lucas Jaquier.