Young driver faces court for causing death of his passenger

The shattered parents of a pregnant young woman killed after the car driven by her speeding boyfriend crashed into a tree have spoken of their heartbreaking loss.

A pregnant Amelia McAlister was killed when this car driven by her boyfriend Darcy Hallford slammed the vehicle in a tree in Park Orchard.Picture: Nine News

The devastated parents of a pregnant young woman killed in a horror crash after her boyfriend lost control of his father’s car after a family outing have told a court of how “broken” and “hurt” they are over her loss.

Doncaster’s Darcy Hallford held a P2 probation licence and didn’t have a full licence holder seated beside him when he got behind the wheel of his dad’s Volkswagen Golf on the afternoon of January 22 last year.

Hallford, 23, was doing an estimated 109km/h in a 70km/h zone at Park Orchards in Melbourne’s east when he crashed the car into a tree on Stintons Rd, killing his 21-year-old girlfriend Amelia McAlister who was about 12 weeks’ pregnant at the time.

At an earlier court hearing, it was heard family members were among the first to discover the crash site as they trailed the car after leaving a gathering at a nearby tavern.

Among them was Hallford’s mother who’s a cardiorespiratory nurse at Box Hill Hospital.

Hallford, a mechanic, pleaded guilty in the County Court last month to charges of dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing serious injury and appeared for a plea hearing on Thursday.

Darcy Hallford leaving court with lawyers and his parents after a committal hearing in Melbourne Magistrates' Court.

In her victim impact statement, Amelia’s mother Fleur McAlister said she lost her daughter as a result of a person not following the road rules.

“I will never see my big girl again, never see my grandchild and see her grow up. There are days when I find myself crying in absolute despair,” she said

“My heart hurts. I am broken. I am easily startled, I get angry when I see speeding drivers on the road.”

Ms McAlister’s dad Brett said he would never see his grandchild and that losing a child was the most devastating thing he has had to go through.

Amelia McAlister was killed when her boyfriend Darcy Hallford slammed the car they were travelling in into a tree at Park Orchards.

Hallford injured his shoulder and collar bone while his rear seat passenger and brother Cameron suffered injuries to his pelvis and left leg.

Prosecutor Daniel Porceddu said the Volkswagen Golf’s weight to power ratio exceeded Hallford’s authority to drive the car, and submitted a prison term was warranted.

Hallford’s lawyer Penny Marcou disputed the prosecution’s submission that he was “showing off” while driving at an excessive speed prior to the crash.

Ms Marcou said “showing off” implied actions such as hooning and street racing which were not present in the case.

Amelia McAlister was pregnant when she was killed in a car crash in Park Orchard.

Forensic psychiatrist Dr Andrew Carroll attended court and was asked questions about a report he wrote following his consultation with Hallford.

Dr Carroll said Hallford suffered from a clinical mental illness and while he showed some post traumatic symptoms, they did not constitute a full blown disorder.

He said Hallford was unable to give him a reason for speeding on the fateful day because he had memory of that manner of driving which was consistent with concussion.

Police did not find evidence of drugs or alcohol that may have contributed to the crash.

Hallford will return to court on March 7 for continuation of his plea hearing.