A young woman has denied causing an Angus OAP’s death by knocking him down after failing to clear her car windscreen on a grimy winter’s day.
Anna McCallum from Johnshaven appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court on Thursday to deny an indictment relating to death of Montrose pensioner John Gordon Sangster following an incident in the town’s Baltic Street at the beginning of December 2012.
McCallum, 23, of Harbour Place in the Mearns village, is accused of causing the death of Mr Sangster by driving a car in Baltic Street on December 1 2012 without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons.
The indictment alleges she drove the car while she could not see properly where she was going and could not properly see the road ahead.
It also alleges she drove while her vision was obscured and the front windscreen of the car was covered in a film of road grime while there was no water or liquid in the vehicle’s screenwash reservoir.
It goes on to further allege she failed to keep a lookout for pedestrians and struck Mr Sangster, whereby he was thrown to the ground and was so severely injured he died as a consequence of those injuries in Ninewells Hospital three days later.
Defence solicitor Nick Markwoski lodged a not guilty plea on McCallum’s behalf at the first calling of the case.
He also informed the court specialist reports had now been sanctioned under legal aid and would be prepared in the case.
Fiscal Hazel Anderson said a motion for a continuation of the case was not opposed.
“Inquiries may take some time and there may be further Crown inquiries on the back of that,” she added.
Sheriff Gregor Murray continued the case until November 6, with McCallum on bail.