A lawyer accused of causing a death-crash held his dying wife’s hand and watched helplessly as passers-by tried to save his daughter, a jury has heard.
Andrew Houston was trapped in his seat after the two-car crash on the A9 Inverness to Perth road, near Newtonmore, and could not reach his family.
The 48-year-old – who is accused of causing the death of his wife, daughter and a German tourist by driving carelessly – broke down at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday as he tried to remember what happened.
Footage was shown to the jury of Houston reliving the horrific moments after accident.
The solicitor advocate told officers he had desperately tried to free himself from the tangled wreckage of his Audi A4 to help his wife Abigail, 42, and seven-year-old daughter Mia.
He was heard saying on tape: “I have no idea what caused the collision. I wish I knew, I wish I knew.”
He described how he held his wife’s hand and could only watch as two men frantically gave Mia CPR in vain as her older sister Lily, 10, comforted her. Seconds before, the children had been happily watching a DVD in the back seat.
“I could hear Lily talking and I could see little Mia,” he said. “She didn’t seem to be injured. That’s the strange thing. There were no obvious injuries to her.
“But I remember someone trying to give her CPR. Two men were trying to help. I couldn’t get out.
“I wanted to get out and help Mia but I couldn’t. I was stuck.”
Mrs Houston and Mia both died as a result of the collision, along with the passenger of the other car, Mohammed Hayajneh.
Houston denies causing their deaths by driving carelessly and crossing into the opposite carriageway on the A9 at Ralia, on July 9, 2013.
Dr Hayajneh’s wife, Ursula, broke down in tears as graphic photographs of the crash scene were shown to the jury yesterday.
Houston, of 6 Wardie Avenue, Edinburgh was also visibly upset at times during the second day of the trial.
Houston suffered cracked ribs and a broken foot as a result of the crash.
He told how he took his wife and daughters to Inverness for a short break before he headed to Dornoch Sheriff Court for a trial.
They went on a dolphin spotting cruise before he re-joined them and began his fateful journey back south.
He told Constable Donna MacLeod, of the roads policing team: “I slept well the previous night and I felt fine on the journey.
Of the crash, he said: “I remember an almighty bang and I thought ‘Oh my God’ something is going to…
“I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful. I’m really sorry I wish I could. Just the horrid aftermath.”
The trial, before Sheriff David Sutherland, continues.