Tributes paid to US oil killed in Aberdeenshire car crash

An American oil worker who was killed when his Porsche hit a tree has been described as a lifelong car enthusiast who loved his adopted home in Scotland.

John Carpenter Stevens, 30, died in the crash on the rural B976 Birse to Finzean road in Aberdeenshire on Thursday.

Mr Stevens had worked as an accounts manager in the marketing group of offshore drilling firm Ensco PLC's Aberdeen office for over two years.

In a statement, his family said he was a lifelong car enthusiast and professionally trained driver who died driving his beloved Porsche''.

The statement said: 'Contrary to prior reports, John's excellent driving skills allowed him to avoid colliding with another vehicle, a Toyota Helix. In swerving to miss the truck, John's car left the roadway and struck a tree. John was at home in the outdoors and Scotland provided the ideal environment and companionship for him to indulge his passions. He was an avid cyclist who had cycled local roads extensively with his Scots cyclist friends. He had in fact cycled the B976 countless times and thus was intimately acquainted with the lane's every twist, turn and hill.'

It went on to say: 'Although John will be deeply missed, his family takes comfort in the knowledge that he loved his adopted country and his life here and was surrounded by great friends, many of whom shared his passions. John is survived by his parents, Norman L. Stevens III and Nancy Duree Williams of Houston, Texas, his sister, Katherine Duree Stevens of New York City, New York, and grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins in Texas, Illinois and New Mexico, USA. John's family wishes to thank John's Scots friends and colleagues for their great kindness and unparalleled support, as well as first responders, Bristow Search and Rescue, and finally, the ICU staff at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, which left no stone unturned in providing excellent, compassionate care to John and those who loved him during his final days.'