Man denies causing death crash and driving at 194mph

A man is to go on trial accused of driving at nearly 200mph before a passenger in his car died in a later crash.

Josh Buchan, 25, is alleged to have caused the death of Ben Taylor, 19, after losing control of his Audi RS3 on the B9077 in Aberdeen on 25 September 2022.

He faces a further allegation of driving at speeds of up to 194mph on various occasions between 12 June and 20 September in 2022, including in Anderson Drive in Aberdeen.

Mr Buchan denied the offences at the High Court in Glasgow, and a trial was set for the High Court in Aberdeen in March next year.

Mr Buchan is charged with culpable and reckless conduct in the months before the fatal crash.

The indictment alleges he went at speeds of up to 194mph and drove on the wrong side of the road while he had passengers in his vehicle.

The death by dangerous driving charge states that Mr Taylor and another man were in Mr Buchan’s car on 25 September 2022.

He is again alleged to have gone at excessive speed at up to 118mph.

It is claimed he failed to keep the car under proper control which resulted in him hitting a grass verge, leaving the road, and colliding with bushes and trees.

Mr Taylor is said to have been so badly injured that he died.

The other passenger was also said to have been seriously injured.