A WOMAN was accused of causing the death of her sister in a four-car pile-up after driving the wrong way down a dual-carriageway while drunk, when she appeared at Stirling Sheriff Court, yesterday.
Mother-of-three Mary Murty, 36, was killed in the crash on September 1 last year, on the A9 Edinburgh to Perth road near Dunblane.
Her sister, Mrs Frances Beech, 33, who allegedly drove 500 yards against the flow of traffic before colliding with three vehicles, after turning down a slip road reserved for exiting traffic, was charged with causing the death of Mrs Murty through dangerous driving while being unfit through drink.
Mrs Beech, formerly of Braemar Grove Dunblane, but now living in the town's High Street, was said to have failed to comply with keep left and no entry signs, entered the exit ramp and driven southbound along the northbound carriageway before colliding with three cars.
She faces a second charge of injuring herself and driver William Marchbank.
The accused also faces a third charge of drink driving, having consumed so much alcohol that she had 201 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, the legal limit being 80.
Defence advocate Martin Jones explained a number of matters could be agreed with the Crown and asked for a further hearing to be set for next week.
Sheriff Robert Younger set a further hearing for June 8.
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