A drink-driver had to be cut free from her car after it swerved off the A9 near Dunblane and smashed into a tree.
Minutes earlier, in the early hours of March 10 last year, an HGV driver spotted the car, without any lights switched on, in front on him on the Keir roundabout.
The car then joined the A9 northbound and was seen weaving across the road.
Its driver, 40-year-old Libby Johnstone, of Deanston, admitted a charge of driving while the proportion of alcohol in her blood was more than three times over the limit.
Fiscal depute Ann Orr told Stirling Sheriff Court on Wednesday it was very dark at the time and conditions were wet.
The truck driver saw Johnstone’s car being driven in “a concerning manner” on the A9 northbound after it left the roundabout at 1am without lights on.
He flashed the truck’s headlights to bring the matter to attention of the driver ahead, but there was no response.
The car approached the slip road off the A9, which joins the A820 Doune Road, and indicated left to leave, but it began to veer to the right.
Ms Orr said it then “overcorrected” to the left, driving over a grass verge and on to the off-slip before crossing both lanes there and into a tree.
The HGV driver stopped his truck on the carriageway to try to offer assistance. However, he didn’t get the chance to speak to the driver as he had to ensure his lorry wasn’t struck by traffic.
When police arrived they found Johnstone’s car in a ditch with is front end around the tree, Ms Orr added.
The accused was in the driver’s seat with a seatbelt on. She was conscious, but very dazed, said the fiscal depute.
The car was badly damaged and officers were concerned that the driver had a potential neck injury.
After an ambulance and Scottish Fire and Rescue arrived firemen cut the roof off the car to lift Johnstone out of the vehicle.
Ms Orr said Johnstone was taken to hospital and at 4am officers confirmed there was no objection to having specimens taken from the accused.
Johnstone first gave a breath specimen which was followed by a blood specimen.
When the blood specimen was analysed it was found to be 175 milligrammes of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The limit being 50mg in 100ml of blood.
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Johnstone’s agent Virgil Crawford told Sheriff Wyllie Robertson his client was unable to provide an explanation on why she had been driving that morning. She had no memory of events.
Mr Crawford however said there had been a build-up of problems in the 18 months or so before the incident. Johnstone, he added, is a full time carer for her husband who has neurological difficulties affecting his movement. At the same time her father passed away and she struggled to cope with the bereavement.
The car, which she had bought under the Motability scheme, had to be written off.
Mr Crawford also pointed out that she was in receipt of benefits and able to pay a fine.
Due to the guilty plea, Sheriff Robertson fined Johnstone £900, reduced from £1200, and disqualified her from driving for 18 months, reduced from two years.
The disqualification term would be reduced by a further four months if she took part in the drink-driver rehabilitation scheme.
