Alysha Mae Greathead pleads guilty to dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm

A young woman caused a serious crash with no licence while affected by drugs, causing grievous injuries to her former partner.

Alysha Mae Greathead faced Maroochydore District Court on Monday. Picture: Patrick Woods

A Buderim woman has admitted to causing a horror crash on drugs with no licence which severely injured her partner.

Witnesses could only watch as Alysha Mae Greathead ploughed her roommates’ BMW into the back of a ute at Meridan Plains on March 18, 2023, causing a multi-vehicle crash which left her former girlfriend with serious injuries.

Maroochydore District Court was told on Monday how the 23-year-old had been driving erratically for up to 15 minutes prior to the devastating crash which put her 27-year-old former partner in the hospital.

These moments were heard following her pleas of guilty to dangerous driving while adversely affected causing grievous bodily harm, driving under the influence and driving unlicensed.

Crown prosecutor Erica Zammit said Greathead was driving her partner dangerously in the luxury vehicle about 5pm along several main roads from Kings Beach to Caloundra with her partner in the front passenger seat.

Ms Zammit listed some of the haphazard manoeuvres which included swerving in and out of lanes without indicating, partly driving on a median strip, speeding and almost colliding with other vehicles.

Greathead pleaded guilty. Picture: Patrick Woods

The court heard one motorist was so disturbed by her driving that he called the police.

His call to authorities was not quick enough however as she failed to stop at a set of red lights on Caloundra Rd and collided into the back of a ute.

Ms Zammit said this caused the second vehicle to rotate anticlockwise and hit a nearby Toyota Yaris.

Greathead’s car meanwhile was deflected into a Subaru Outback which had a married couple and their daughter inside.

The court heard the 23-year-old’s partner was trapped for 15 minutes before she was rushed to hospital.

She was later treated for multiple injuries including a fracture to the spine in her neck and her ribs, and lacerations to her scalp, face and arm, some of which exposed bone and required staples.

The court heard the woman did not suffer any long term injuries and did not give a victim impact statement to the court.

Greathead did not suffer any injuries at the scene, but it was revealed she was affected by meth and GHB at the time.

She also had lost her licence due to the accumulation of demerit points.

She admitted to causing the dangerous crash. Picture: Patrick Woods

Ms Zammit said the dangerous driving offence was serious enough to warrant actual time in custody, but said it was up to Judge Gary Long to decide.

The court heard the Buderim woman had a conviction of drug driving when she was 19-years-old on her traffic history.

Defence barrister Lachlan Ygoa-McKeown said it was fortunate for the 23-year-old, who was a New Zealand citizen, no other people in the crash suffered any injuries.

Mr Ygoa-McKeown said Greathead was not coping well with her mental health up until the crash and was using drugs during this time.

His submissions centred around the proposition of the 23-year-old not serving time behind bars due to the link between her mental health and her drug use which meant a custodial sentence would interrupt her ongoing progress.

He said since being charged she received mental health treatment and rehabilitation for drugs.

The court heard if Greathead was to serve time in actual custody, she would have her visa cancelled on the spot and could possibly return to New Zealand, a country she left at the age of four.

Judge Long however told her defence team more up to date medical documents were required which needed to support their submissions.

Greathead’s sentence was adjourned to allow for this information to be gathered by defence. She left the court on bail.

Originally published as Alysha Mae Greathead pleads guilty to dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm