A motorist accused of causing the death of a young dad is blaming another driver for the fatal crash, the High Court in Glasgow was told yesterday.
Antony Zanre, 67, from Peterhead, denied driving dangerously on the A96 Elgin to Lhanbryde road near to Barmuckity on November 15, 2017 and killing 23-year-old Dameon MacPhee from Moray.
He offered a guilty plea to a reduced charge of careless driving, but that was rejected by prosecutor Stewart Ronnie.
Zanre is alleged to have overtaken other vehicles at excessive speed when it was unsafe to do so.
Prosecutors claim that as he did so he drove into the path of the car being driven by Katelyn Watson, causing her to brake.
Another driver, Laura Stocks, was then forced to take evasive action, driving onto the wrong side of the road where she collided with Zanre’s car.
Ms Stocks, a young child and Ellen White – who were passengers in her car – were seriously injured and Mr MacPhee, who was sitting in a rear passenger seat, was so severely injured he died.
Susan Duff, defence counsel for Zanre, said: “Mr Zanre has lodged a special defence of incrimination against Laura Stocks.”
Judge Lord Matthews set the trial for November 14 at the High Court in Edinburgh.