52-year-old John O’Donnell was convicted of causing the death of 26-year-old Chloe Morrison through reckless driving.
A driver has been found guilty of causing the death of a ‘beautiful and sensitive’ kindergarten teacher by striking her with the fully extended stabiliser leg of his vehicle.
In October 2019, 52-year-old John O’Donnell denied driving recklessly and killing Chloe Morrison as she and her mother walked along a sidewalk in Drumnadrochit, Inverness-shire, Scotland.
Miss Morrison, 26 years old and a resident of Inverness, was struck in the back and flung 100 feet. She passed away due to many fractures.
Yesterday, Miss Morrison’s family wept as O’Donnell was convicted of the lesser charge of causing her death by reckless driving at the High Court in Inverness.
They stated, “It should have been the more severe charge, but we must accept the verdict of the jury.”
Lord Stuart postponed the sentence at the High Court in Glasgow until next month and requested a background report.
A truck driver was found guilty of causing the death of ‘beautiful and sensitive’ Chloe Morrison by striking her with a fully extended stabiliser leg.
Tony Graham, the defense attorney, requested that his client’s bail be extended.
The judge informed O’Donnell that he would not have granted bail if he had been convicted of causing death by reckless driving.
O’Donnell of Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, was disqualified from driving immediately.
Tuesday, counsel depute David Dickson urged the jury to convict the HGV driver of the more serious offence, arguing that O’Donnell should have noticed the unsecured and unlocked ‘outrigger’ stabiliser leg.
Yesterday, Miss Morrison’s family released the following statement: ‘Chloe was our beautiful, compassionate, hilarious, and much-loved daughter, treasured not only by us but also by all of her close friends and coworkers. Our memories of her will last forever.
When Miss Morrison was struck, O’Donnell was reportedly returning to Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, from Skye. He adamantly denied extending the outriggers. (Stock image)
When Miss Morrison was struck, O’Donnell was reportedly returning to Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, from Skye.
He adamantly denied extending the outriggers.
Earlier in the trial, the court heard that there were yellow warning flags on the unlocked outriggers, one of which was visible in O’Donnell’s nearside wing mirror.
A sad O’Donnell stated that he did not understand what the yellow signs indicated, but if he had and had seen it in his mirror, “Chloe Morrison would be alive today.”
O’Donnell declared, “I have lost confidence in myself.” I have nothing left in me to operate a heavy-duty vehicle.