An “arrogant” driver nearly mowed down a dad and his four-month-old baby when he ran a red light at a busy Perth crossing.
The father, who was carrying his youngest son, told how he had to jump backwards to avoid being hit by Bear Scotland technician Jamie Williams in his red Ford Fiesta.
Perth Sheriff Court heard how the 21-year-old driver narrowly missed the family-of-four – including a pre-schooler on a scooter – as he drove through the pedestrian crossing on Glasgow Road while the green man signal was flashing.
Williams, a wannabe police officer whose dad is a driving instructor, was found guilty after trial of dangerous driving and failing to comply with the red light on October 22, 2019.
The court heard how his career and future plans were now in tatters.
Young boy on a scooter
The dad, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said he was walking towards Lidl supermarket with his youngest in a baby carrier, his wife and his then-four-year-old son riding his scooter.
“It was about 5.30pm and it was pretty busy,” he said. “We pressed the pedestrian crossing button, and the green man light came on.”
The 46-year-old said he saw the cars in lane one, to his right, come to a halt. The second northbound lane was empty, he said.
“We started to walk across when suddenly this red car came passed us,” he said.
“I had to jump back because it was pretty close.
“It’s difficult to say what speed it was doing, but it was fast.”
Shaken and upset, the family continued to walk to Lidl where they saw Williams parking his car.
“I was just full of emotions,” said the dad. “I was thinking that I usually let my eldest son go first with his scooter when we are out walking.
“If he had been in front of me, it would have been a disaster.”
‘You could have killed us’
While his wife and children went into the shop, the dad approached Williams in his car.
“I knocked on his window,” he said. “I told him: ‘You nearly killed my family’, but all he would say was: ‘I saw nothing’.
“I told him: ‘I had a baby with me, you could have killed us’.
“He was really arrogant. There was no reaction from him. He was just like: Okay, whatever. He didn’t apologise.
“I decided to phone the police when I got home,” he said. “I was thinking about what could have happened. My son could have been killed.”
‘Go, go, go.’
Under cross-examination by defence solicitor John McLaughlin, the dad said he would not have called police if Williams had said sorry.
His wife, 40, told the court: “Our older son goes out on his scooter. When we are at pedestrian crossings, I usually usher him out – like go, go, go – when the green man flashes.
“I realised if he had rushed out ahead of us, he would have been dead.”
Never apologised
Giving evidence, Williams, of High Street, Blairgowrie, said he was “positive” the traffic light was on green before he drove across.
He said he did not see the family, but heard the dad “shouting” after he drove passed.
The court heard that he was heading to Lidl to buy food for his mother.
Williams said: “When I walked into the supermarket, this man was pulling people aside and saying: ‘That man over there nearly killed me and my family'”
“I ended up not buying anything. I just left.”
Williams added: “I wasn’t arrogant. I maybe would have said sorry to him to try and calm things down, if I knew what I was saying sorry for.”
Road ban
Sheriff Linda Smith told Williams: “Your actions fall far short of what is expected of a careful and considerate driver.”
Williams was fined £350 and banned from the road for 18 months.
Mr McLaughlin said: “I am told that he will lose his employment with Bear Scotland.
“He had hoped to join the police, and had been told to first get some life experience.
“But he anticipates that he will not be allowed to join the police either.
“What will he do now? I don’t know. He will have to find some alternative employment.”
