Woman speeding on Dukes Highway while drunk crashed head-on into truck, court told

A heavily intoxicated woman was driving at up to 202km/h when she crashed head-on into a truck on an SA highway, a court has heard.

A woman has been given a suspended jail sentence for crashing head-on into a truck at a speed of up to 202km/h while heavily drunk on a regional highway.

Judge Paul Muscat of the District Court sentenced the woman for purposefully driving into the path of the truck in an effort to end her own life in January, 2021, on the Duke’s Highway near Yumali.

The court heard the woman – whom The Advertiser has chosen not to name – had a “traumatic” childhood and was suffering from pre-existing mental health conditions when the crash occurred.

At the time of the crash, investigators estimate her blood alcohol level would have been around 0.15 and her speed was anywhere between 122km/h to 202km/h – with the speedometer frozen at 134 km/h at the time of the crash.

The woman pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous driving the day before she was set to stand trial for endangering life by dangerous driving.

Judge Muscat said the driver of the truck was not injured, but was “no doubt” emotionally and psychologically traumatised by the crash, which forced him to take evasive action in an effort to avoid.

Prosecutor Lisa Dunlop SC told the court during sentencing submissions that, had the truck rolled, “it would be a very different situation” and the driver of the truck was unharmed only “by pure luck and good fortune”.

The woman spent three months in hospital with life-threatening injuries, and continues to suffer from the impact left behind by the crash.

Following the crash, the court heard the woman had paid back $117,000 in costs for the damages to the heavy transport truck, had begun therapeutic treatments and abstained from alcohol.

Judge Muscat said the offence was “so serious” that only a custodial sentence of five months and three days was warranted, but suspended it on a 12-month good behaviour bond.

The woman was banned from driving for two years and six months, reduced by the six months previously served for an offence of drink driving.