Sheriff's safety concerns over pedestrian death

Chloe Morrison was walking with her mum when she was struck by part of a lorry

A sheriff has said the circumstances of a woman's death on the A82 in the Highlands gave rise to serious public concern.

Nursery teacher Chloe Morrison was struck by a steel beam of a lorry's extended stabiliser leg near Drumnadrochit, south of Inverness, on 25 October 2019.

The 26-year-old was walking along a pavement with her mother at the time.

Following a fatal accident inquiry (FAI), Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said the lorry company involved could have taken precautions that would have avoided the tragedy and he made several safety recommendations.

They include ensuring all drivers are trained in how to safely stow equipment away, and that checks are made before the start of journeys.

Scotland's most senior law officer, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC, asked for the FAI to be held for fear of a repeat of the accident.

In his determination, Sheriff Cruickshank described Ms Morrison as a young woman who loved her job and loved life.

He said: "The circumstances surrounding Chloe's death are unbelievably tragic.

"The loss to her family is immeasurable."

'Devastating loss'

The driver of the lorry - John O'Donnell, 53, from Inverurie - was sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work and banned from driving for 12 months in October 2022.

He had been convicted of causing her death through careless driving.

His earlier trial at the High Court in Inverness heard he had driven his lorry from Oldmeldrum in Aberdeenshire to Skye on 24 October 2019.

He stayed overnight and said he had dropped stabilising legs on the lorry the following day because of gales - although he was not trained to do so - before setting off on his return journey.

O'Donnell insisted he did not extend or touch the controls of the stabilisers' outrigger beams.

But CCTV showed the nearside outrigger's yellow warning sign, indicating it was unlocked, when he filled up with diesel at a filling station on Skye.

A passenger in a car travelling in the opposite direction also saw the outrigger swing out seconds before reaching the collision scene.

The court heard Ms Morrison died from multiple fractures.

Following the release of the sheriff's determination, procurator fiscal Andy Shanks said: "The tragic death of Chloe Morrison occurred in circumstances giving rise to significant public concern and as such a discretionary fatal accident inquiry was instructed.

"Chloe's death was a devastating loss for her family and my thoughts are with them at this difficult time."