A tour of the Highlands ended in tragedy for two holidaymakers who were killed in a head-on collision in Wester Ross.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told it is still a mystery why Boughty Ferry pensioner Ronald Stoneman, 79, failed to negotiate a “modest” bend and drifted onto the wrong side of the A832 near Creag na Dunaiche in Dundonnell.
Donna Engelbert, 72, a passenger in Stoneman’s Kia Sportage hire car, died along with 69-year-old retired computer programmer Kenneth Gillon, a front-seat passenger in the other vehicle, a Kia Venga.
Mrs Engelbert – a family friend from Canada who was in Scotland to visit Stoneman and his wife Maureen – was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary but died 10 days after the August 31 2022 collision.
Dundee United supporter Mr Gillon, a grandfather from Auchterarder, died from multiple fractures and injuries at the scene despite heroic efforts by other motorists and paramedics giving CPR for over an hour.
Stoneman, of Balgillo Road, also spent 10 days in hospital after suffering rib fractures and his wife also required treatment to rib, lung and kidney injuries.
Kenneth Gillon’s 63-year-old wife – who was driving the Venga – suffered multiple fractures.
Stoneman admitted causing two deaths and serious injury to the two passengers by careless driving and had sentence deferred until May 31 for a background report.
He was banned from driving in the interim.
Fiscal depute Niall Macdonald told the court that the weather was fine, visibility good and there were no defects in the cars or the road to explain why the collision occurred on “a modest left-hand bend”.
Mr Macdonald said: “Suddenly Mrs Gillon saw Robert Stoneman’s Kia coming round it on her side of the road and she had nowhere to go. She recalls it caused an almighty bang.”
Stoneman later told police he did not recall seeing Mrs Gillon’s car before the “bang” and nor did he know why it happened, Mr Macdonald added.
The prosecutor said that even police experts who examined the scene could find no reason why Stoneman didn’t stay on his side of the road. But they were in no doubt he was totally responsible.
Defence solicitor Amy Fox reserved her full comments in mitigation until sentencing but told Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald: “He finds it difficult that he crossed over the line but accepts he did.
“He has driven all over Scotland when he worked and has no convictions. He has not driven since this incident and has no intention of doing so.”