Anna Stephens faces Latrobe Valley court for drink driving and speeding charges

A boozed-up mum who reached frightening speeds of more than 170km/h before colliding with another car on the Princes Highway ended up in ICU after the horror incident.

Anna Stephens faced the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on Monday over drink driving and driving at a speed dangerous charges. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

A boozed-up mum was hooning at more than 170km/h before she rammed the rear of another car on the Princes Highway before crashing into railing, putting her in hospital in a coma with life-threatening injuries.

Anna Stephens fronted Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on Monday where she pleaded guilty to exceeding the prescribed concentration of alcohol within three hours and driving at a speed dangerous.

In May last year, police were called to the scene of a collision involving two cars on the Princes Highway at Trafalgar where they found a damaged Toyota on the centre median strip.

The driver and the two passengers were treated by paramedics and taken to Latrobe Regional Hospital with minor injuries, the court heard.

The second car, a Holden station wagon driven by Stephens, was found extensively damaged and she was flown to The Alfred with critical and life-threatening injuries.

It was revealed Stephens — who was travelling at a speed of 173km/h before slowing down to 139km/h — collided into the rear of the Toyota causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle.

A blood test revealed Stephens, who has a 12-year-old daughter, had also been drinking, and she was unable to remember the events on the day due to the injuries she suffered and her ongoing mental health issues.

Stephens was flown to the Alfred with life-threatening injuries after the crash last year. Picture: Mark Wilson

Stephens’ defence lawyer said it was a miracle no one was killed and his client was very fortunate.

“No broken bones but she did suffer significant head trauma, so she was in a coma for two days, ICU for a week, the doctors operated on her head to apply a brain pressure monitor and it was incredible she survived,” he said.

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He said she wasn’t taking her medications and it was the “darkest time” of her life.

Stephens’ lawyer added she was also diagnosed with Huntington’s disease months before the incident.

Stephens was placed on an adjourned undertaking for a year to be of good behaviour without a conviction and her licence was disqualified.