Jewells: Vanessa Opdam charged with dangerous driving following serious Ntaba Rd crash

A Central Coast woman under the influence of drugs ran a red light crashing into another vehicle, and seriously injuring the other driver.

A Central Coast woman, who was under the influence of drugs when she ran a red light and crashed into another vehicle critically injuring the other driver, will have to wait until July to learn her fate.

Vanessa Opdam, 60, From Chain Valley Bay pleaded guilty to dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm following the serious crash at Jewells on the Pacific Highway, on March 25 last year.

The other driver, a 73-year-old woman was left fighting for her life, trapped in her vehicle and taken to John Hunter Hospital where she remained for nearly two weeks after she sustained a traumatic brain injury, broken ribs, fractured vertebrae and heart trauma.

Vanessa Opdam outside Newcastle Local Court. She's been charged with dangerous driving after causing a serious crash at Jewells which critically injured the other driver. Supplied.

Horrific scenes at the crash on the Pacific Highway. Picture by Peter Lorimer.

To this day she has not completely recovered and will require care for the rest of her life.

Ms Opdam appeared at Newcastle District Court on Thursday to be sentenced but it was quickly adjourned until July 6 for her defence counsel to be available.

Police facts stated Ms Opam left the house at about 9am that morning to go shopping and was feeling “agitated”.

Driving along the Pacific Highway at about 10.20am, she passed a car in the left hand land and was holding her mobile out in front of her while speaking to her partner, according to police facts.

Court documents detailed how as she approached the intersection at Ntaba Rd the lights had been red for about five seconds, and another car was stopped in the left lane, before she merged into the right lane failing to stop.

One of the vehicles at the crash last year. Picture by Peter Lorimer.

Her vehicle smashed into the front drivers side of the other vehicle, causing her car to “spin out” before it came to rest on the medium strip.

The result was a horrific scene, with emergency services spending some time cutting both women out of the wrecks of their cars.

Court documents said police did not observe any evidence of breaking by Ms Opam and a later blood sample returned a positive for cannabis and and oxazepam.

A woman was critically injured. Picture by Peter Lorimer.

It was found Ms Opdam was under a combined influence that would impair her ability to drive, and the levels of drug in her system showed she was a regular user of cannabis.

Ms Opdam, who also suffered injuries including a broken sternum, broken ribs and a hole in her lungs, was arrested and charged on May 30 last year and had no memory of the collision.

Charges of negligent driving, driver use a mobile phone when not permitted, drive vehicle with illicit drug present, not stop at red light, dangerous driving under influence and drive vehicle under influence of drugs were all withdrawn.