Drink Driver Admits Killing Passenger On Highland Road
A Highland drink driver killed a passenger while trying to show off his souped-up car, a court's heard.
Daniel Ritchie got in his Vauxhall Corsa - adapted to almost three times its regular power - despite having downed alcohol at a party.
He took 21 year-old Greg Anderson with him, but soon lost control of the vehicle and smashed into a tree.
Mr Anderson never recovered following the collision near Carrbridge, Inverness-shire in July 2013.
Ritchie (24) later told a witness who stopped to help: "It should be me that's dead."
A judge heard how the victim's father had lost an "irreplaceable" son as a result of the fatal crash.
First offender Ritchie now faces jail after he pled guilty to a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.
His bail was continued until sentencing next month.
Ritchie and Mr Anderson were both at the 21st birthday party on July 6 2013.
The bash was being hosted by Ritchie's aunt at her home in Carrbridge.
Later that night, the pair along with another reveller got chatting about vehicles.
Prosecutor Paul Brown told the High Court in Glasgow: "After about five minutes...the accused offered to show Mr Anderson his car."
Ritchie and Mr Anderson then left the party and got into the high powered Vauxhall.
A witness then spotted a car whizzing past "at speed".
But, within minutes, Ritchie's car mounted a grass verge, hit fencing before crashing heavily into a tree.
It was Ritchie, also of Carrbridge, who dialled police to report the accident.
Mr Anderson's girlfriend - who had also been at the party - heard what had happened and raced to the scene.
Another driver meantime stopped to give first aid to the dying victim.
Ritchie then said to the man: "Please tell me he is still alive. I think I'll be going to jail for this.
"I've had a drink. Why is it always the driver that escapes these things. It should be me that's dead."
Mr Anderson, of Kingussie in the Highlands, died that night having suffered a fatal head injury.
Checks later carried out on Ritchie's car found that the engine size had been modified at some point.
Mr Brown told the court crash investigators concluded "responsibility" for the accident lay entirely with Ritchie.
The advocate depute went on: "He was under the influence of alcohol whilst driving a car which had almost three times the power it was designed to have...travelling at excessive speed on a single track road."
The court heard Mr Anderson's grieving father was too ill to attend the hearing.
But, Mr Brown said he had given an account of how the "pain is still as bad" two years on.
The prosecutor added: "He has said what he has lost is irreplaceable. His son contacted him three or four times a day and was 'just always there' for him."
Judge Lord Boyd deferred sentencing until October 1 in Edinburgh.
Ritchie - who works as a plant operator - was also banned from the road meantime.