Driver in ‘fight or flight’ rescue mission caused head-on Fife smash.

John Dunsmuir claimed he was behaving as a ‘Good Samaritan’ when the crash occurred near Glenrothes.

A woman was hurt in an 80mph head-on incident in Fife caused by a driver who claimed in court that he was in “fight or flight mode”. John Dunsmuir’s vehicle collided with the woman’s Volkswagen Golf on the A914 at the New Inn roundabout in the middle of the afternoon.

The collision prompted a large emergency service reaction, with many police units and three ambulances arriving on the site near the A92.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard charges that Dunsmuir was rescuing a woman from a brutal attack before causing the collision on June 12, 2024.

He was sentenced after pleading guilty to driving dangerously while uninsured and refusing to provide a blood sample.

High-speed crash

At roughly 12.50 p.m., the victim was driving her automobile approaching the roundabout, where the national speed limit decreases to 40mph. Another vehicle saw Dunsmuir’s car was “out of control” as it travelled at high speeds.

Fiscal depute Michael Robertson told the court that he saw the accused’s vehicle breach the centre line of the highway and hit head-on with the complainant’s vehicle. “This caused significant front-end damage to both automobiles, causing the airbags to deploy.

“From the complainer’s statement, she said the vehicle was travelling at speeds in excess of 80mph.”

The other driver stopped to assist and heard “screaming and moaning” before seeing Dunsmuir exit his car clutching his stomach and falling to the pavement. The victim was sitting on the ground and receiving assistance from other witnesses.

Dunsmuir was transported to Ninewells Hospital by ambulance and discovered to have shattered vertebrae and sternum. He declined to give a blood test to identify alcohol in his system and “freely admitted” to a doctor that he was uninsured.

The injured woman was left with a painful chest and bruised hands after her automobile was written off.

‘Fight or flight’

Dunsmuir, who is ordinarily from Springfield but has been held at HMP Perth, pleaded guilty to the counts on the day of his trial.

Solicitor Angela McLardy explained: “The circumstance arose as a result of what he thought was his behaving as a good Samaritan.

“Mr Dunsmuir received a phone call from a female who had been assaulted, and there was a minor incident. “He effectively removed the lady from the situation and she was in a heightened state.”

Dunsmuir interrupted to inform Sheriff Neil Kinnear, “I was in fight or flight mode, Your Honour.”

Ms McLardy stated that Dunsmuir hoped to obtain a prison term. Sheriff Kinnear sentenced him to 189 days in prison and disqualified him for 18 months.

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