Lauren Jean Willgoose thought she hit a car mirror in crash that killed Anthony Walsh on Goodwood Rd, court hears
An Adelaide lawyer drank five glasses of wine before hitting what she believed was a car mirror as she drove home to drink more, a court has heard.
Police & Courts
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An alleged hit-run driver thought the fatal crash that killed a top neuropsychologist was her car’s side mirror hitting another car, a court has heard.
Lauren Jean Willgoose, 32, is standing trial in the District Court accused of killing Anthony “Tony” Walsh in a crash on June 30, 2021.
She is also accused of leaving the scene of the crash without stopping.
On Thursday and Friday, Ms Willgoose took the stand in her own defence.
Paul Rice KC, for Ms Willgoose, asked his client what her memory of that night was.
“I was driving in the right-hand lane of the dual lanes and I saw a shadow that I saw for a second and I heard what sounded like a car mirror hitting a car mirror and I continued to drive home,” she said.
“I didn’t think I hit a person, (I thought it was) a car, the only sound I can compare it to is the sound of a car mirror hitting a car mirror.”
Judge Nick Alexandrides, who is hearing the trial without a jury, heard evidence that Ms Willgoose had been at the Goody Park Hotel before the crash.
Ms Willgoose said she believed she had drunk five glasses of wine at the bar over four hours before driving home.
After the collision she continued the short drive home and drank another four glasses of wine with her partner before going to bed.
Ms Willgoose said she was aware of damage to her car when she opened the driver’s door when she got home and heard it made a strange sound.
When Ms Willgoose realised what had happened the next morning her first phone calls were to a series of lawyers before she caught a taxi or an Uber to one of their offices.
There she handed herself into police.
Michael Foundas, prosecuting, cross-examined Ms Willgoose, who sobbed throughout her time on the stand.
He pointed out that the front bumper of the car was raised after the collision.
Ms Willgoose said she did not notice the damage to the car.
Mr Foundas pressed Ms Willgoose on her alcohol consumption and memory of the crash.
“‘I didn’t think it was serious,” she said. “I didn’t give it a thought that there was a serious collision.”
Ms Willgoose said she would drink a bottle of wine by herself most nights of the week.
She rebutted any allegations she had been heavily intoxicated at the time of the crash.
The trial continues.
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