Jamie Alexandra Stewart sentenced for Hamilton Island buggy crash
An 18-year-old Sunshine Coast woman who drove a Hamilton Island buggy overloaded with friends at four times the speed limit while almost four times the blood alcohol limit has been sentenced.
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A rescue helicopter was called to Hamilton Island after a young Sunshine Coast woman drove a buggy overloaded with friends while almost four times the blood alcohol limit.
Proserpine Magistrates Court on Monday heard it was a “recipe for disaster” when Jamie Alexandra Stewart began partying and drinking Vodka Cruisers after work.
The 18-year-old then got behind the wheel of a golf-buggy with three of her co-workers to drive to a “nice lookout” on Acacia Dr.
Stewart then tried to make a sharp right-hand turn onto a driveway at 20km/hr, four times the speed limit, when the buggy toppled over about 1am on May 11.
The court heard Stewart’s 21-year-old rear Gold Coast passenger had not been wearing a seatbelt and fell off on impact, landing about 5m from the vehicle and injuring her face.
A medical rescue helicopter flew the passenger to Mackay Base Hospital for treatment.
Security personnel were called to the incident and Stewart’s breath was tested three times. She returned a blood alcohol concentration of 0.193.
Police officers arrived at the scene hours later.
The court heard Hamilton Island’s CCTV footage captured Stewart partying at the bar before the crash, and the amount of passengers in the buggy had contributed to it overturning.
Police prosecutor Lachlan Perry said it was understood Stewart had been veering to the left which caused the buggy to hit metal barriers on either side of the road, and then flip onto its right-hand side.
“It was more luck than good management that no one was injured more,” Mr Perry said.
A mechanical inspection of the vehicle found it was free of defects that could have contributed to the crash.
The court further heard a front passenger, who became pinned under the buggy in the crash and to drag himself out, had earlier told Stewart to slow down as he was “freaking out” about her speed.
Two other passengers recalled similar details to police.
Defence solicitor Peta Vernon asked Magistrate Michelle Howard to not put Stewart on 18 months’ probation as Mr Perry had suggested.
Ms Vernon said Stewart was young, had great ambitions, had no traffic offences on her existing record, and had already paid the price for her mistake as she lost her job on the island and suffered a concussion in the crash.
“It may be a bold submission to make, but she doesn’t need supervision,” she said.
Stewart pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of liquor, driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road, and not ensuring passengers comply with seatbelt requirements.
Magistrate Michelle Howard said she agreed the most appropriate sentence was a fine.
“You don’t want to find yourself in this position again,” Ms Howard told Stewart.
Stewart was fined $1500 and her license was disqualified for eight months.
No convictions were recorded.
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Originally published as Jamie Alexandra Stewart sentenced for Hamilton Island buggy crash
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