A driver who survived a deadly two-car crash on the A82 has told a jury she “knew it was going to be bad” moments before the impact.
Catherine Bruce, 59, told a jury that she saw “a flash” as a blue Citroen C3 on the wrong side of the road came towards her grey Honda CRV.
Geritt Reickmann, of Am Hanloh, Münster, Germany, is on trial at the High Court in Inverness, where he denies causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving.
His passenger, 24-year-old Melina Rosa Päprer from Germany, died following the horrific smash on the A82 near Borlum Farm in the Drumnadrochit area on October 12 2020.
On the first day of evidence, Ms Bruce, who was travelling north at the time of the tragedy, broke down in tears as she was asked to recall the traumatising events.
Tearful A82 crash survivor recalls collision near Drumnadrochit
The prosecutor advocate depute Alan Parfrey questioned the witness in front of a jury, who were told the woman had been travelling towards Inverness at a speed of around 37mph when she encountered an oncoming car in her lane.
“It was a flash of a shiny, shiny car in front of me – just suddenly there,” Ms Bruce told the court.
“I couldn’t see the occupants, just a shiny flash. I realised it was going to be bad. I was going to struggle to avoid it. I applied the brake and swerved to the right.”
The court heard it was at this moment that the collision occurred.
Asked whether the other car had been on her side of the road, Ms Bruce answered: “It was in my lane, yes”.
A82 crash aftermath eyewitness tried to help Melina Rosa Päprer and Geritt Reickmann
Next, Graham Knox – an eyewitness to the aftermath of the crash – spoke of climbing into the blue Citroen with Reickmann and his already unconscious female passenger, as they waited for assistance.
“I went in through the window to try to help him,” the man said, adding that “the girl was unconscious”.
Mr Knox explained how he tried to keep Reickmann who was “concerned about his girlfriend” awake until emergency services arrived.
“I was trying to keep him conscious, just talking to him,” he explained.
It was during this time, the witness said, that the German driver told him he had pulled onto the wrong side of the road after executing a turn.
A third witness told the court that he believed the car had been in the opposing lane when he saw it in the moments before the collision: “I think it was on the right-hand side, not fully over but even just a wee bit,” he said.
Asked what he thought when he saw this, he replied: “I have driven abroad myself and I know it can be challenging to remember”.
Police’s report into A82 crash ‘solely’ blames Geritt Reickmann
The court heard that an investigation by the roads policing unit concluded that “the blue Citroen C3 motor car…was being driven southbound in the northbound lane, where it has collided with the grey Honda CRV motor car…being driven north in the northbound lane”.
Crash investigators found a stone and mortar wall at the scene of the accident restricted the view of the road, making it difficult for the driver of the Citroen to see the oncoming Honda.
This “would have contributed to a lack of collision avoidance on behalf of both drivers,” the report also concluded.
It added: “It is our opinion that the responsibility for the collision lies solely with the driver of the Citroen C3 motor car”.
The trial, before Lady Drummond, continues.
UPDATE: Twist in A82 death crash trial as accused suddenly pleads guilty to less serious charge
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