French driver admits death crash charge

Can't explain why she veered onto wrong side of the road


A FRENCH driver has admitted causing the death of a Thurso woman in a road crash on the A9 in Caithness, last summer.

France Lautier changed her plea on indictment at Wick Sheriff Court today and will be sentenced tomorrow.

The 64-year-old's left-hand drive Ford C-Max veered across the road into the opposing carriageway after rounding a bend at Ramscraigs near the east-coast village of Dunbeath and collided with a southbund Jaguar driven by Thurso man Alfred Williams. His wife, Elizabeth, also aged 72 sustained multiple injuries and died at the scene.

The court heard that there appeared to be no reason for Lautier's failure to stay on her own side of the road.

She had been heading north on her way to tour Orkney at the time.

Sheriff Andrew Berry deferred sentence until tomorrow for a background report on the accused who was made subject to an interim driving ban.