Lisa Jane Chapman sentenced for dangerous driving after running over her husband’s friend

A mother high on cocaine has been sentenced after she ran over a friend in her driveway – saying loud music blocked out his screaming. See the disturbing CCTV footage.

A drunk woman who ran over her husband’s friend in the driveway has avoided jail after she left him never able to have more children.

Lisa Jane Chapman left the 26-year-old man with a broken neck after loud music muffled out the sounds of his screams.

During sentencing, the court heard Chapman got into the driver’s seat of a Commodore parked in the driveway of her Eyre home in Adelaide’s northern surburbs, on June 5, 2021.

The victim stood in front of the car, before laying down in front of it and out of Chapman’s sight.

Lisa Jane Chapman, left, outside District Court on Tuesday. She was sentenced to a suspended sentence for driving over her husband’s friend outside her house. Picture: NCA NewsWire

The court heard Chapman drove forward, running over the victim with the front wheels.

Lisa Chapman pleaded guilty to causing serious harm by dangerous driving. Photo: Facebook

“He screamed loudly, you stopped momentarily and then moved forward again, driving over (the victim) with your rear wheels,” Judge Michael Durrant said.

A victim impact statement was read to the District Court by the prosecutor last month.

The victim said he was told he was lucky to be alive after suffering a broken neck, which required pins and bolts.

“I could have been a quadriplegic or paraplegic. I was told that I was placed in an induced coma,” he said.

“I had broken teeth, movement was excruciating and breathing because of all my broken ribs was unbearable.

“I was told I’d never be able to have more children, which is something I wanted to do should I be lucky in love ever again.”

The victim said he had to give up his passion of motorbike riding and now can only walk a few hundred metres and has lost 50 per cent of movement in his neck.

“I feel she would have felt me under the car and would have heard my screams just as the neighbours did, but she kept on driving,” he said.

“She’s able to get on with her life, have more children and put this all behind her but for me life will never be the same.”

Lisa Jane Chapman outside District Court on Tuesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire

The Eyre mother-of-two pleaded guilty to causing serious harm by dangerous driving.

Benjamin Armstrong, for Chapman, 34, read out an apology letter from his client during sentencing submissions.

“I should have never gotten into the driver’s seat that night … Please accept my sincere apology, although I know an apology will never be enough to make this better,” she said.

The court heard Chapman came home from work and started drinking alcohol and had some lines of cocaine with her husband and his friend.

Mr Armstrong said Chapman felt the bump but didn’t recognise what it was and the music in the car was loud so she didn’t hear the victim’s screams.

The court heard Chapman’s blood alcohol range was estimated between 0.076 and 0.133 at the time of the offending.

The court heard Chapman – who was disqualified from driving for 10 years – will lose her job as a sales representative as a result.

Judge Durrant sentenced Chapman to three years and one month jail, with a non-parole period of one year and seven months.
“As displayed by this offending operating a vehicle when compromised heightens the potential to harm others,” he said.

“The CCTV footage of this offending is disturbing, the impact on (the victim) was instant, intent and has changed his life for the worse.”

Due to the unusual circumstances of the offending and good rehabilitation prospects, the sentence was suspended on $1000, three-year good behaviour bond.

Judge Durrant reminded Chapman that if she drove while disqualified, she would go to prison.