Rose Kennedy: Vincentia woman sentenced for high range drink driving

A woman - more than three times over the legal alcohol limit - told police a kangaroo was the reason why she collided with a parked car.

Rose Kennedy leaving Nowra Local Court after she was handed a conviction.

A night on the drinks has ended in shame for a “confused” woman who, while three times over the legal blood alcohol limit, smashed into a parked car yet blamed the crash on a kangaroo.

The “significant collision” saw Rose Kennedy, 35, face Nowra Local Court on Tuesday, having previously pleaded guilty to high range drink driving.

Police documents tendered to the court reveal the Vincentia woman had drunk “multiple” alcoholic drinks at her friend’s house at Old Erowal Bay on the evening of January 22, before attempting to drive home along the Wool Rd, near Worrowing Heights.

However, on her way home, Kennedy swerved off the road before smashing into a parked vehicle resulting in significant damage to both cars.

“The victim heard a loud bang and came rushing out [of their house] to see what occurred,” the facts state.

Police were called to the scene where they saw Kennedy leaning on her vehicle, before she told officers, while pointing to her car, “there has obviously been an incident to that vehicle”.

The “significant collision” saw Kennedy face Nowra Local Court.

Agreed facts say Kennedy was “confused” and “slurring her words”.

“[Kennedy] informed police she had drank before driving, however denied the crash, instead blaming it on a kangaroo,” agreed facts state.

The 35-year-old was taken to Shoalhaven Hospital, where she initially presented a negative breath test, before being subjected to an oral and fluid test which was sent away for examination.

On May 1, more than four months after the incident, the test results revealed Kennedy, at the time of the crash, had an alcohol reading of 0.157, more than three over the limit.

In court on Tuesday, Kennedy’s lawyer, Brett Ford, said the drink driving was “strange” behaviour for his client.

“She has mental issues which may have caused greater impact by the alcohol,” he said. “She usually doesn’t drink.”

However, Mr Ford did concede Kennedy’s traffic record was “not great”.

“This is a one off incident that she expects to not happen again.”

Magistrate Lisa Viney said the “significant” collision could have been worse.

“You were well and truly affected by alcohol,” she said. “It’s fortunate it was just a car that was damaged and not a person.”

When sentencing, Ms Viney said she needed to consider the risk put to the community when Kennedy made the “poor decision to drive”.

Kennedy was convicted, sentenced to a 12 month community correction order, had her licence disqualified for six months and fined $800.

She was also ordered to have an interlock device installed in her car for two years when her licence returns.