Budgewoi: Rebecca Grattidge, 45, yet to plea over fatal crash that killed Dorothy Slade, 81
A case against a motorist charged with the dangerous driving death of an elderly woman is set to tip into its third calendar year with a magistrate ordering it must go ahead on the next occasion.
Central Coast
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A woman charged with the dangerous driving death of an elderly woman on the Central Coast will have to plead when she faces court again early next year or face a disputed facts hearing in a higher court.
Rebecca Grattidge, of Wyee, faced Wyong Local Court on Tuesday where she was facing one count of dangerous driving occasioning the death of 81-year-old Dorothy Slade last year.
From the outset, the court heard the investigation into the crash was “complex” and involved collision “reconstruction” modelling.
On Tuesday, the court heard Ms Grattidge’s defence had recently provided the Crown with a set of facts she would agree to but the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) needed more time to review the proposal.
However, a magistrate has expressed her frustration the matter was yet to resolve either way and told the parties that was exactly the same reason why she had granted the previous adjournment on December 3.
“It’s just shy of 20 months,” magistrate Robyn Richardson told Ms Grattidge’s defence and the Crown prosecutor.
“I keep getting told ‘it’s ready, it’s ready, it’s ready’.”
Ms Richardson said the matter was going to roll over into its third calendar year but granted one final adjournment to January 21.
Ms Richardson said on the next occasion Ms Grattidge would have to enter a plea or it would be committed to Gosford District Court regardless for a disputed facts hearing.
The lengthy legal case comes after emergency services were called to Budgewoi Rd, Budgewoi, just after 11am on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, following reports of a crash between a Volkswagen Golf and Toyota Corolla.
Despite the efforts of NSW Ambulance paramedics, the 81-year-old passenger of the Toyota — named in court documents as Dorothy Slade — died at the scene.
Ms Grattidge, who was driving the Golf, and the driver of the Toyota, a 62-year-old woman, were taken to John Hunter Hospital, both in a serious condition.
Tuggerah Lakes Police District established a crime scene that was later examined by specialist police from the Crash Investigation Unit.
After being released from hospital a week later on April 21, Mr Grattidge was arrested and taken to Waratah police station where she was charged with dangerous driving occasioning death.
She appeared at a bail hearing at Newcastle Local Court the following day and was remanded in custody but was granted bail in the Supreme Court months later.
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