Young Mum Killed in Horror Crash After Partner Falls Asleep at the Wheel
(Image: Facebook/Dailyrecord)
A young mother, Rebecca Tasker, 32, tragically lost her life in a horrific crash after her partner, Edward Carty, 30, fell asleep at the wheel. The accident occurred on the A90 near Errol, Perth, and Kinross, on August 12, 2022.
Rebecca was in the back seat of the car driven by Carty, a disqualified driver, who veered off the road, causing the vehicle to rotate down an embankment before striking two trees. Remarkably, members of the public were able to pull Rebecca’s two children from the vehicle unharmed.
Carty’s friend, who was also in the car, escaped without injury, but Rebecca was pronounced dead at the scene. She suffered two spinal injuries, a severe neck injury, and blunt force trauma to several ribs. Carty, who had been driving for 14 hours without rest, later admitted on TikTok that he had fallen asleep. He pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to causing Rebecca’s death by dangerous driving, reported BBC.
The court heard that Carty, his friend Lucas Hollings, 19, Rebecca, and her kids, aged 10 and seven, had traveled from Arbroath to Lochinver, Highlands, before making the return journey. Prosecutor Ruaridh Ferguson stated, “During the journey, Carty did not rest and had driven for around 14 hours.”
At the time of the incident, Carty was driving at 80 miles per hour in a 70 zone. The Nissan vehicle was seen moving towards the edge of the road, and Carty attempted to correct its course. The car then crossed into another lane, and Carty tried again to steady the vehicle.
Ferguson described how the vehicle “started to veer in an anti-clockwise direction before crossing the grass verge and a path.” The car then traveled 90 degrees and went backward, colliding with a tree and then another tree, which caused significant damage and left the vehicle upside down.
Witnesses rushed to aid those in the car, which came to rest against a tree trunk. Hollings managed to escape, and the two children were removed through the driver’s window. Sadly, Rebecca was unable to be extracted and was later deemed to have been immediately unconscious due to her injuries.
Carty was taken to hospital for surgery on his leg and also suffered a stroke. In September 2022, he broadcasted himself on TikTok, discussing the incident with a woman. He said, “I fell asleep behind the wheel, but I pulled over 15 times asking my girlfriend to drive, but she wouldn’t drive even though it was her car.”
Prosecutor Ferguson emphasized that Carty failed to take any rest during the journey. Following Rebecca’s death, tributes poured in on social media from loved ones, with cousin Alana Dempster saying, “My heart is broken,” and Shellie Lyon adding, “She was amazing and will be missed loads. Such an amazing woman and mother gone far too soon.”
Defense lawyer Brian Bell told the court, “He accepts full responsibility. The comment about asking her to drive – he doesn’t remember that. He recalls saying it on TikTok but doesn’t recall asking her to drive.”
Sentencing was deferred pending background reports until next month at the High Court in Edinburgh. Judge Lord Young stated, “You will be aware that custody is inevitable for an offense of this gravity.” Carty, of Blackburn, England, was disqualified from driving and remanded in custody.
