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Monica Mecham drank bottle of wine, two vodkas drinks before hitting pedestrian at 9.25am

A Belrose woman drank a full bottle of wine and two vodkas before getting behind the wheel of her Mercedes and running over a pedestrian at 9.25am, Manly Local Court was told.

Monica Louise Mecham, 56, of Belrose, has pleaded guilty to a high range drink driving charge in Manly Local Court. Picture: Monique Harmer
Monica Louise Mecham, 56, of Belrose, has pleaded guilty to a high range drink driving charge in Manly Local Court. Picture: Monique Harmer

A woman who drank a full bottle of wine and two vodkas just before losing control of her car and running over a pedestrian at 9.25am appeared in Manly Local Court on Thursday.

Monica Louise Mecham, 56, of Belrose, was five times over the limit when her car struck a and seriously injured a woman walking on a footpath on May 9.

Mecham pleaded guilty to driving with a high-range PCA (second offence). She had a blood alcohol reading of 0.278.

Monica Mecham lost control of her car on Pringle Ave, Belrose, near the corner of Haigh Ave, and struck a woman walking on the footpath. Picture: Google Maps
Monica Mecham lost control of her car on Pringle Ave, Belrose, near the corner of Haigh Ave, and struck a woman walking on the footpath. Picture: Google Maps

A charge of aggravated dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm was withdrawn and dismissed on Thursday.

In a facts sheet tendered to court police alleged that Mecham was driving her Mercedes Benz hatchback on Pringle Ave at Belrose, above the posted 50km/h speed limit, when its failed to negotiate a slight right-hand bend at the intersection with Haigh Ave.

It is alleged the car then mounted the nature strip and struck Lorraine Gooden, 46, from behind. Ms Gooden was on her daily walk to help treat a pre-existing spinal injury.

Monica Mecham will be sentenced in Manly Local Court after pleading guilty to high range drink driving. Picture: Monique Harmer
Monica Mecham will be sentenced in Manly Local Court after pleading guilty to high range drink driving. Picture: Monique Harmer

Her head shattered the car’s windscreen before she was thrown 10m into a low brick wall by the impact.

Ms Gooden spent 10 days in Royal North Shore hospital for treatment to a fractured left wrist and facial lacerations. She also had surgery on her left shoulder and was left with memory loss due to a traumatic brain injury.

In the facts sheet police said that when they arrived at the scene they saw Mecham kneeling on the ground next to Ms Gooden.

“ (Mecham) struggled to stand and required assistance from others,” police said.

Officers asked if she had been drinking and she “nodded her head”.

At Frenchs Forest police station Mecham told officers “she had consumed a whole bottle of wine and two drinks that morning before driving”, the facts sheet said.

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Her criminal record, tendered to court, showed she had been disqualified from driving for two years after being found guilty of high-range drink driving in 2014.

Magistrate Michelle Goodwin adjourned the matter for sentencing in Manly Local Court on January 22 next year.

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/manly-daily/monica-mecham-of-belrose-drank-bottle-of-wine-two-vodkas-the-morning-before-hitting-pedestrian/news-story/285a73bca551730e84cec166f95331fe