Jodie Winch: Drunk driver smashes car into Nagambie hairdressing salon
A Craigieburn mum who drove a mate home after downing copious amounts of booze at a pub smashed her car into a hair salon, knocking the pair out. And when her severely bruised friend awoke and crawled out of the wrecked car, she drove off.
West
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A boozed-up mum smashed her car into a hairdressing salon before driving off and leaving her injured passenger at the scene, a court has heard.
Mum of four Jodie Winch, 36, was out for a night on the town in Nagambie on May 17 last year when she downed copious amounts of wine, beer and tequila before getting behind the wheel.
Senior Constable Moana Kidd on Wednesday told Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court Winch pulled a number of dangerous stunts while driving a friend home from the pub.
But her luck ran out when she suddenly pulled the handbrake while driving at speed — a manoeuvre Sen-Constable told the court was called “handbraking” — which caused her car to spin out of control.
The vehicle smashed into a nearby hair salon, Rejuvenate Beauty Therapy, knocking both Winch and her terrified female passenger unconscious.
Sen-Constable Kidd told the court the salon was closed and no one was inside.
But she said Winch’s passenger was “in fear of her life” leading up to the accident, and when the severely bruised and shaken passenger regained consciousness and crawled out of the wrecked car, Winch drove off and left her behind.
Winch later returned a BAC of three times over the legal limit, the court heard.
She also tested positive for cannabis.
Winch’s lawyer, Ophelia Hollway, told the court her client had no criminal history.
She was remorseful and fled Nagambie, a small regional town, to live in Craigieburn when word spread about the accident.
“Since the date of this incident Ms Winch has relocated to a different suburb to distance herself,” Ms Hollway told the court.
“She understands her behaviour was incredibly dangerous and put members of the public in danger potentially.”
Winch pleaded guilty to drink driving, dangerous driving, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to render assistance.
Magistrate Olivia Trumble said she accepted Winch’s behaviour was out of character and deferred sentencing to December 21.
“This is a very serious incident which could have resulted, as we all know, with catastrophic repercussions,” Ms Trumble said.
“That is the sort of behaviour I would expect from a 23-year-old reckless young man.”
Winch’s licence was cancelled and she was disqualified from driving for two years.
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