The family of a nursery teacher who was killed by a careless lorry driver has said that he should have been convicted of a more serious crime.
Relatives of Chloe Morrison burst into tears as a jury at the High Court in Inverness found John O’Donnell guilty of causing her death by careless driving.
O’Donnell, 52, had earlier pleaded not guilty to the more serious charge of death by dangerous driving.
He’d denied being responsible for failing to notice a metal beam protruding from his lorry before it fatally struck the 26-year-old while she walked along a pavement.
After the conclusion of the trial, the Morrison family issued a “heartfelt thanks” to PC William Jones, Procurator Fiscal Niall Macdonald and Advocate Depute David Dickson “for their hard work and dedication” in helping to secure a guilty verdict.
They also said: “We feel at this time, whilst coming to terms with the outcome of death by careless driving, it should have been the more serious charge, but we have to accept the jury’s decision”.
Ms Morrison’s grieving loved ones added: “We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our families and the people of Drumnadrochit and the surrounding area not only for their kind messages and support during the trial but also at the time of Chloe’s tragic death.
“Your kindness and love throughout is greatly appreciated by us all.”
They also paid tribute to the Inverness nursery teacher, who suffered multiple fractures on October 25 2019 when she was flung 35 metres along the A82 at Kerrowdown, near Drumnadrochit.
“Chloe was our beautiful, sensitive, funny and much-loved daughter cherished dearly not just by us but by all of her close friends and work colleagues.
“Her memories will remain with us forever.”
During his trial, a tearful O’Donnell admitted that Ms Morrison would still be alive today if he’d used his wing mirror and understood a warning sign.
The court heard that there were yellow warning signs on steel outriggers to show that they were unlocked and that one could be seen in O’Donnell’s nearside wing mirror.
But the accused told the jury that he didn’t know what the yellow signs meant, although he agreed with defence counsel Tony Graham QC that if he had and had seen it in his mirror “then Chloe Morrison would still be here today”.
The Morrison family concluded their statement: “A tragic irony during the trial with all the talk about yellow, is that it was Chloe’s favourite colour.”
O’Donnell, of Crossover Road in Inverurie, will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on October 19.
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