Marlee Kelley: Wyongah drink-driver jailed, shock crash photos revealed
Shock crime scene photographs of a crash on the Central Coast reveal how incredible it was that the drink-driver and her passenger survived. Now Marlee Rose Kelley has been sentenced in court.
Central Coast
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Ten photographs tendered at the sentencing of a drink-driver at Gosford District Court show how remarkable it was she and her unrestrained passenger were able to survive.
The photographs, obtained exclusively by the Express Advocate, were tendered on Wednesday at the sentencing of drink-driver Marlee Rose Kelley who received a non-parole period of two years jail for aggravated dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm while speeding more than 45km/h over the limit.
It comes as new details of the Crash Investigation Unit’s forensic analysis of the crash scene established how fast the now 25-year-old chef was driving and how, at that speed, a crash was inevitable.
An agreed statement of facts state Kelley and her partner of three months were captured on CCTV arguing after purchasing food at McDonalds Wadalba shortly before 6pm on October 1, 2018.
“The offender returned to the driver’s door, which was open, reached inside and grabbed hold of the victim, pulling her from the car,” the facts read.
“The victim landed on the ground. The offender bent over the victim on the ground, before standing on top of the victim and getting into the driver’s seat once again.”
The court heard Kelley was witnessed by other motorists to be driving “erratically” and at speed, at one point stopping in the middle of Murrawal Rd where her passenger opened her door.
“The victim attempted to get out of the vehicle however the offender grabbed the victim and pulled her back inside the vehicle where the victim was physically assaulted,” the facts state.
Kelley turned into Cooranga St and accelerated “causing a resident who was entering her own driveway to accelerate harder into her premises to avoid being struck by the offender”.
The facts state Kelley was trying to negotiate a left bend in the road at the point the roadway changes names from Cooranga St to Corinda St and overshot the corner travelling at 126km/h.
“The critical speed for the largest radius of the corner where the accident occurred is 92km/h,” the facts state.
“Drivers would lose vehicle control attempting to negotiate the curve at or above 92km/h.”
The court heard Kelley’s Holden Commodore glanced a tree before ploughing head-on into a tree before bouncing off an rotating 45 degrees.
Kelley suffered broken ribs, compression fractures of her lower spine and a “hole in her leg” from the brake pedal, the court heard.
Samples taken at hospital showed Kelley had a blood alcohol reading of 0.141 at the time.
Her 35-year-old passenger suffered head and facial fractures, cuts to her right arm and ear, fractures to her right foot and toes and a lifelong “traumatic brain injury”.
Kelley pleaded guilty to aggravated dangerous driving and two domestic violence related assaults relating to the fight in McDonalds car park and the middle of the road.
Four back up charges of dangerous driving under the influence and in a manner dangerous, negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and driving under the influence of alcohol were withdrawn and dismissed.
Kelley was ultimately sentenced to three years and four months jail with a non-parole period of two years.
