Court told of van driver's remorse at killing tourist
A VAN driver has admitted causing a fatal crash on the A1 which killed a French holidaymaker after losing control of his vehicle as he tried to overtake in wintry weather.
Steven Frame remained “distressed and remorseful” throughout an interview with police after the smash, the High Court in Edinburgh heard.
Delivery driver Frame, 44, pled guilty to causing the death of Dominique Lassaigne on the A1 near Penmanshiel in the Borders on December 30 in 2005 by driving dangerously.
He admitted overtaking when it was unsafe to do so and driving too fast for the circumstances at the time.
Frame, of Kirk Street, Leith, entered a hatchmarked area of the roadway as the road altered from dual carriageway to single carriageway and lost control before going on to the opposite side.
His van hit a car being driver by Thomas Conway who was injured in the collision along with three of his passengers.
The fourth passenger, Mme Lassaigne, 56, of Villebon-Sur-Yvette, in France, who had been visiting friends in Scotland, died at the scene.
Advocate depute Adrian Cottam told the court that warning signs were in place at the approach to the scene advising drivers of the end of the section of dual carriageway.
He said it was snowy weather on the day of the crash but the main road had been gritted.
“Although the roads had been gritted, the snowfall earlier in the morning had left, in particular, the overtaking lane affected and made overtaking difficult,” he said.
Frame was driving south from Edinburgh when he overtook a car whose driver said to his daughter: “He’s in a hurry.”
He was then behind a camper van which was travelling at about 45 to 50 mph, but pulled out to overtake the vehicle.
Mr Cottam said: “As he attempted to complete the overtake in the hazard area his van started to slide and the rear end began to skid. He appeared to try to correct this but lost control of his vehicle,” he said.
The advocate depute added: “The van crossed the hatched area going into the northbound carriageway and collided with the vehicle driven by Mr Conway, striking it on the front offside.”
He said both vehicles were extensively damaged.
Mme Lassaigne, who had been visiting her friends, Mr Conway and his wife, who lived in Eyemouth, in Berwickshire, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The rear seat passenger suffered massive internal bleeding and multiple fractured ribs.
Mr Conway sustained a collapsed lung, fractured ribs and a fractured right foot.
His other passengers, Maureen Lundy, 66, suffered a broken breast bone and pain in her ribs, Yunshu Luo, 27, sustained back and abdominal injuries and Xin Yu, 22, suffered abdominal injuries.
Mr Cottam said police spoke to Frame who was clearly upset and admitted being the driver of the van. He later told officers he was aware the dual carriageway was about to return to a single carriage as he was familiar with the road.
Frame estimated that he was travelling at 55 to 60 miles per hour at the time.
Defence counsel Peter Gray QC said Frame had overestimated the speed at which the camper was travelling and realised that it might not be safe to brake heavily. He committed himself to pulling back out and overtaking.
Judge Lord Mackay deferred sentence for a background report.