Inver drug-driver in ‘heap of trouble’ after police halted high risk chase in Inverness
Police abandoned the pursuit of a motorist who was swerving about the road and driving along the wrong side of the carriageway because it was too dangerous at a peak traffic time.
Officers began following 28-year-old Darryl Mackay, of Fuaran, Inver at around 10am on November 5 last year when they saw him driving out of Alamein Drive in Inverness.
Fiscal depute Martina Eastwood told Inverness Sheriff Court that the blue lights were activated because "the manner of his driving alarmed the police”.
“He had poor lane management and was swerving about the road,” she said. “He did not stop and sped away."
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Mackay was lost sight of but his bad driving continued when he collided with a stationary car at the junction of Diriebught Road and Millburn Road.
Mrs Eastwood told Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald: "He ran from the vehicle, leaving his passenger behind who identified him to the police."
The court heard that six hours after the police began trailing Mackay, he tested positive for drugs.
His reading for a cocaine metabolite was 562mcgs when the legal driving limit is 50mcgs.
Mackay admitted drug-driving, dangerous driving and failing to stop for police.
Sheriff Macdonald deferred sentence until January 9 for a background report and imposed an interim disqualification.
She told Mackay: "You have got yourself into a whole heap of trouble here."
