Colongra: High range drink driver Abby Margaret Georgeston crashed into truck towing a house

A young nurse, more than three times over the alcohol limit, was trapped for an hour and a half after ploughing into a “wide load” truck towing a prefabricated house. Read the full story.

Abby Margaret Georgeston (inset), 26, of Budgewoi, was trapped in her car after crashing into the side of a truck towing a prefabricated house at Colongra. Picture: supplied

A magistrate said a young nurse was incredibly lucky to survive after ploughing into the side of a prime mover towing a prefabricated house in what he described as “an extremely serious bit of driving”.

Abby Margaret Georgeston, 26, of Budgewoi, faced Wyong Local Court on Monday where she pleaded guilty to high range drink-driving and negligent driving.

The court heard it was her second drink-driving offence in five years after pleading guilty to mid-range and negligent driving in 2019, for which she received a conditional release order.

Her solicitor, leading criminal lawyer Bobby Locker, said in all other aspects of her life the young nurse was an upstanding and contributing member of society except for her excessive drinking.

Mr Locker said Georgeston had “no recollection of the accident” except for seeing some bright lights before waking up in hospital.

Georgeston crashed into a truck towing a prefabricated house. (File image)

An agreed set of facts states Georgeston was driving north on Scenic Drive at Colongra — about half way between Buff Point an Doyalson — about 10pm on June 30 when she approached a prime mover travelling south.

Georgeston was travelling about 60km/h in her grey Ford Focus when she passed two pilot or escort vehicles travelling at 100m and 300m ahead of the prime mover.

Young nurse Abby Margaret Georgeston (left) leaving Wyong Local Court with a supporter after being sentenced to a community correction order for 18 months over a high range drink-driving crash. Picture: NewsLocal

The pilot vehicles had flashing lights and signs warning about the “wide load” travelling behind them, which was also illuminated with flashing lights and signs.

“Pilot two (the most southern vehicle) flashed their headlamp high beam lamps to warn the accused to slow down, to no avail,” the facts state.

When she got to the next pilot vehicle that driver flashed his lights at her and “veered right towards the centre line to alert the accused”.

“The accused had continued and left the bitumen roadway momentarily to drive around the Pilot Two vehicle before returning to the northbound lane,” the facts state.

Georgeston was freed from the wreckage of her car by Central Coast Volunteer Rescue Association members. (File image)

“The accused continued without slowing, arriving at the prime mover and narrowly missing contact with the front bull bar.

“The roof, A-pillar and front windscreen of the accused’s vehicle have collided heavily with the underside of the overhanging house/structural members, continuing along the length of the underside of the house, until stopping in the northbound lane.

“The accused remained trapped in her vehicle by confinement for approximately 1.5 hours.”

Central Coast Volunteer Rescue, paramedics and NSW Fire & Rescue officers worked to free Georgeston before she was taken to John Hunter Hospital where she returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.180.

Magistrate Alan Railton said “the potential for much worse things to happen” because of her driving that night “doesn’t need to be stated”.

He sentenced Georgeston to a community correction order for 18 months with 100 hours of community service.

She was also disqualified from driving for nine months and put on an interlock order for 48 months.