Lauren Willgoose allegedly caused death of Tony Walsh in Goodwood Rd crash on night with ‘clear visibility’, court hears
A lawyer standing trial over the death of a pedestrian after drinking more than a litre of wine was driving on a “cool and clear” night, a court has heard.
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
An Adelaide lawyer who struck a pedestrian after drinking more than a litre of wine – damaging the front driver’s side of her car – was driving on a cool night with “clear visibility”, a court has heard.
Giving evidence in the District Court on Tuesday, Brevet Sergeant Anna Gallamore told the court the area was “well-lit” while she was working at the Goodwood Rd crash scene where neuropsychologist Anthony “Tony” Walsh was struck on June 30, 2021.
Lauren Jean Willgoose, 31, is standing trial accused of an aggravated count of causing the death of Mr Walsh by dangerous driving and a count of leaving the scene of an accident after causing death.
She is alleged to have drunk five glasses of red wine – totalling 1.15L – at the Goodwood Park Hotel before driving a white Kia Sportage 3km back to her Cumberland Park home with an alleged a blood-alcohol level of 0.23.
Sergeant Gallamore said the road was damp but not too wet because she had been able to spray paint the surface as she worked at the scene.
“The road and weather conditions were clear,” she said.
“My memory of the night is that it was cool and clear. It wasn’t raining on me when I was at the scene.
“It wasn’t foggy or misty, there was clear visibility.”
She had earlier told the court she could see “at least a couple of hundred metres, possibly a lot more” on the night.
She said there were “no tyre marks at the collision scene”, either before or after the point of impact.
Judge Nick Alexandrides, who is presiding over the trial in the absence or a jury, prosecutors, defence lawyers and court staff visited the scene on Tuesday morning.
Part of the road, near the Capri Theatre were closed off by police to allow for the 15-minute view.
Opening the trial on Tuesday, prosecutor Michael Foundas said Ms Willgoose was alleged to have struck and killed Mr Walsh as he neared the centre of the road about 10pm. He was wearing a red jacket, blue jeans and yellow hat.
The court has heard Ms Willgoose allegedly made a number of calls in the hours after the crash, including to criminal law firms between 5.30-6.30am the next morning. She handed herself in at her then lawyer’s firm about 10.30am and her car, with a damaged bonnet and driver’s side front panel, was seized from outside her home.
Paul Rice KC, for Ms Willgoose, has said Ms Foundas’ opening remarks were “unnecessarily inflammatory” and that issues at the trial would include the conditions on the night.
The trial is continuing.
‘Getting worse’: Taxpayers’ $2m security bill to combat abusive tenants
Security guards have been hired to protect public housing staff to combat a sharp escalation in abuse or anti-social behaviour including death threats from troublemaker renters.
‘Watch the news’: Alleged arsonist’s threat before vet clinic blaze
An alleged arsonist warned the daughter of a family-owned vet clinic to “watch the news” before it went up in flames in a revenge attack over an exposed affair, a court heard.