A couple driving home hit two victims flung from a car that had just been struck by a double-decker bus.
James Whyte, 71, was at the wheel of his silver Ford B-Max overtaking an articulated lorry on the A90 in Aberdeenshire.
The retired dad was heading for Laurencekirk with his wife Mary when they became caught up in the horrific triple death crash.
He told the High Court in Aberdeen: “All of a sudden there was a bang from the back of the car and a softer thump at the front.
“And I started rolling. The car went up in the air and started rolling. It seemed to go on forever.”
Their car came to a stop with the engine running and James was freed by firefighters who cut off the roof of his vehicle.
James suffered whiplash, bruising and neck injuries.
He and his wife, who broke her collar bone, were kept in hospital overnight.
On trial is Bulgarian Marin Rachev, 35, who denies dangerous driving and causing the deaths of three of his four passengers.
The horror happened on the Dundee to Aberdeen dual-carriageway at a turn-off to Drumlithie, near Stonehaven, on March 12 last year.
It’s alleged Rachev drove out of the junction into the path of the oncoming bus as he attempted to reach the central reservation.
Back seat passengers Dimitar Georgiev, 32, Zaharina Hristova, 37, and Silyan Stefanov, 42, were killed.
Hristova and Stefanov were thrown from the red Renault Megane and struck by the Whyte’s southbound car.
Front seat passenger Ivanka Dobreva, who had been wearing a seatbelt, survived despite being severely injured.
The court was shown the grim photographs of bodies strewn across the road covered by tarpaulins.
Livingston-based Stuart Kerr, 50, was driving a Speedy Freight van from Falkirk to Aberdeen when he was passed by the bus.
He said: “It was just about past me when the car pulled out of the junction.
“I saw it coming down the hill from about 60 yards and it didn’t stop, it just drove straight out on to the junction.
“As soon as I saw the car crossing, I slammed on the brakes.
“At that point the car disappeared in front of the bus and that was it.”
Naimh Cameron, 20, an Aberdeen student, became upset as she relived the horror.
She was driving white Mini when it happened.
She said: “There wasn’t enough time for them to get to the central reservation. I began to think, ‘Oh no’.
“There was a bus coming and it was nearly at that point. The bus crashed into the side of the car.”
The trial before Lord Kinclaven continues.
