Kilmarnock man admits causing taxi driver's death while driving drunk
Slavi Todorov had been driving on the wrong side of the road when he crashed into Neill Mackie's taxi
A drink-driver has admitted killing a 76-year-old taxi driver in head-on crash after driving on the wrong side of the road on a country road near Ayr.
34-year-old Slavi Todorov from Kilmarnock, was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow of causing the death of Neill Mackie by dangerous driving on July 9, last year, on the A70 Coylton to Ayr road.
He pleaded guilty to driving with an alcohol count of 64 – almost three times the legal limit of 22.
The crash happened after Todorov, who had been visiting his brother-in-law Sundrum, near Ayr, drove off after downing vodka.
Minutes after leaving the house Todorov, who is Bulgarian, phoned his husband, retired social work boss John Kennedy, 59, and said: “I've crashed the car, baby, I'm sorry,” and then the phone went dead.
Meanwhile another taxi driver Gary Keenan, 50, told of coming across the wreckage of Todorov's Range Rover Evoque and Mr Mackie's Ford Mondeo as he drove back to Ayr after dropping off a passenger in Coylton.
Mr Keenan said: “It was very dark. It was difficult to see the wreckage until I was almost on it.”
He said he saw Todorov sitting in the driver's seat of the Evoque and added: “He was motionless. At first I thought he was dead. He was staring straight ahead.”
Mr Keenan told the court he then went over to the other car where Mr Mackie was trapped between the driver's seat and the steering wheel.
He said: “He was struggling for breath. I put my hand on his shoulder and told him 'hang on there's an ambulance coming.'”
Mr Mackie died in hospital from multiple injuries suffered in the collision.
Police constable Steven Callaghan said as he was being driven to Ayr police station, first offender Todorov confessed he thought he was on the wrong side of the road.
PC Callaghan added: “He said it repeatedly. He was really distressed and had genuine concerns for the well-being of the other driver.”
His colleague Constable Allan Auld said: “He stated he had been driving to his home in Kilmarnock and believed he was on the wrong side of the road.
“We could smell he had been drinking, but he was talking fine, his English was fine.
"He was concerned about the accident.”
Todorov's husband Mr Kennedy said they had gone to his brother's home for dinner.
He added: “We were drinking vodka and I had some wine. Around 2am my brother and sister-in-law had gone to bed and Slavi and I were watching television.
“Slavi said I think we should go home and I said no we are staying over.”
Mr Kennedy said he went to the toilet and when he came back he saw car lights heading out the driveway and when he checked the car was gone.
He told prosecutor Michael Meehan: “I was a bit dumbfounded. Then the phone rang and it was Slavi saying he had been in an accident. He said ' I've crashed the car baby I'm sorry.'”
Todorov denied dangerous driving.
Judge Lord Ericht deferred sentence on Todorov until next month and remanded him in custody.
Defence QC Murray Macara will give his plea in mitigation then.