A woman went on trial today accused of causing the death of a man by driving carelessly on a country road.
Pauline Flynn allegedly crossed on to the opposite side of the carriageway while driving along the A952 on October 3, 2014.
Henry McPerson, who was driving the other vehicle, died after his partner’s car left the road and crashed into a fence.
Prosecutors claim his partner, Patricia, was also seriously injured in the collision.
Flynn, of Mintlaw, went on trial at Peterhead Sheriff Court yesterday and denied the charge.
Witness Charmaine Jackson, 61, told the jury that Mr McPherson had dropped her off at her house at Mains of Esslemont at about 9pm.
She had spent the evening enjoying a Chinese takeaway with the couple and a few drinks at his house in Rora before he drove them home.
Mrs Jackson said it was the first time that she had felt able to go out on her own since losing her husband in February.
Depute fiscal David Bernard asked Mrs Jackson how she knew Mr McPherson, who was also known as Harry. She replied: “I met him at a party. Harry did art and my husband was a tattoo artist at the time and they became good friends.”
Mrs Jackson said she had suffered from anxiety since her husband died and that Mr McPherson had been helping her out with shopping trips since his death.
She said it had been raining heavily on the night that Mr McPherson died and there were puddles on the road which had forced him to slow down.
Asked how Mr McPherson had appeared when she arrived at his house, she replied: “He was fine, his usual self.”
The trial continues this afternoon.