A dangerous driver raced two other vehicles and exclaimed “that’s 120” moments before a horror crash that left a pal requiring surgery on a spinal fracture.
Cameron Fleming was driving his Corsa on the A93 and B993 near Birley Farm, Torphins, with two passengers when he lost control and “went flying” into a bridge.
The 22-year-old suffered a fractured vertebrae, while one of his pals also sustained a similar injury requiring surgery, and another suffered a fractured pelvis.
Depute fiscal Felicity Merson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened on August 4 2018 as Fleming drove himself and two friends back to Westhill after attending the Aboyne Highland Games.
Mrs Merson said: “They found themselves behind a white Nissan GTR and a navy Fiesta ahead of that.
“The accused immediately sped up too. The passengers formed the view the accused was trying to follow them.”
She said the passengers became aware the car was going “too fast”.
“The back passenger felt the accused was travelling at 100mph on straights and 70mph on bends.
“Another road user and his wife, who was 24 weeks pregnant at that time, were travelling from Peterculter to Aboyne in order to buy a cot.”
The pair saw the Nissan and Fiesta travelling towards them “at high speed” and formed the opinion the cars were “racing each other”.
They then saw Fleming’s Corsa approaching. Mrs Merson said: “Both witnesses thought the accused did not have control of the car and thought he was having difficulty keeping the car in his own lane.
“At this point they stopped their own car due to the approaching danger. The complainers at this time became aware that the car felt like it was starting to slide and both shouted out.
“The accused’s car veered across the road in to the opposite verge and then ‘went flying’ before hitting the bridge. Witnesses ran to the aid of those trapped in the car, which was now lying on its side with what appeared to be smoke or steam coming from the engine.
“The accused kept saying sorry to his passengers as witnesses tried to help them from the car.”
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A comment was also made by one of the passengers that while driving Fleming had said: “That’s 120.”
Mrs Merson told the court one of his passengers suffered a fractured vertebrae “which required corrective surgery involving essentially ‘scaffolding’ to let the bone heal.”
The other passenger had a fractured pelvis while Fleming also suffered a fractured vertebrae.
Fleming, of Main Street, Sauchen, pled guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Sheriff Philip Mann told Fleming: “This is a serious cause of dangerous driving involving basically racing at extremely high speed.
“That being the case, I’m looking at all possible disposals in this case, including a custodial sentence.”
Sentence was deferred until next month for reports and Fleming was banned from driving in the interim.
Defence agent Ross Taggart reserved mitigation for the sentencing hearing.
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