Roofer broke 94-year-old woman's neck after ploughing Transit van into her car
A 94-year-old woman was left with broken neck and ribs after a self-employed roofer smashed his work van into the front of a car she was travelling in.
Jamie Forrester, 32, had cannabis in his system when he ploughed his Ford Transit into the Volkswagen Tiguan which was on the opposite side of Lochlibo Road in Uplawmoor, on May 9, 2022.
The van's back tyres were under-inflated and, on the day of the horror smash, it was raining and the road surface was wet.
Procurator fiscal depute Dana Barclay yesterday told Paisley Sheriff Court: 'Around 2.10pm, Mr Wallace, aged 67 at the time, and Ms Wallace, now deceased, aged 94 at the time, was travelling west on Lochlibo Road near to Neilston Road.
'Mr Wallace was driving his Volkswagen Tiguan with his mother, Ms Wallace as the front passenger. At the same time, the accused was driving his white Ford Transit east on Lochlibo Road.
'As the accused crossed over the railway bridge, which is on a sharp right over a hillcrest onto a left turn, he lost control of the vehicle, crossing onto the opposite side of the road and head on into Mr Wallace's vehicle.
'Emergency services were contacted by people who came across the two crashed vehicles.'
Ms Wallace was trapped within the vehicle and had suffered serious injuries.
Forrester passed a roadside breath test but tested positive for cannabis and was arrested. Crash investigation officers attended the scene.
Ms Barclay added: 'The accused was taken to Govan police office were he provided a specimen of blood for analysis. The blood results showed there was 5.4mg of delta-9tetrahdrocannabinol in the accused's system which is over the 2mg limit.'
The court heard Forrester's work van was examined with both back tyres under-inflated meaning it was 'more likely for the tyre rubber to twist and not fully grip the road surface'.
A collision investigation report said the collision occurred due to 'one or a combination of factors'.
They were Forrester not maintaining his vehicle, allowing the rear tyre pressures to fall below the recommended values; low pressure in the rear tyres resulting in them being less efficient at maintaining adhesion with the road surface in wet conditions; and he was above the legal limit for cannabis.
Ms Barclay explained the woman sustained broken bones to her neck and her ribs and was admitted to hospital for a number of weeks due to her age and frailty.
She died some months after the incident in hospital. The male driver sustained whiplash, a burn to his head and bruises to his arm. He was treated at A&E and released that day.
Defence agent Urfan Dar asked for reports and Forrester's bail to be continued.
Mr Dar said his client knew the road and had been up since 6am to carry out sheeting and cladding work before calling it a day at lunchtime due to rain.
He added: 'There is no suggestion of his impairment. He accepts he had a cannabis joint the night before.'
The court heard Forrester's back tyres were around 18 PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) and 23 PSI, compared to the front tyres which were at 30 PSI.
Sheriff Brian Mohan blasted: 'He drove dangerously here and he's had three years to admit it.
'This was a 94-year-old person who was seriously injured, he drove dangerously, had cannabis in his system and got up at 6am and done a day's work before this happened.
'Broken bones to the neck and ribs can't have helped at the age of 94.'
Sentence was adjourned until next month for reports. Forrester, of Cedar Drive in Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, had bail continued meantime.
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