Taylah Matthews pleads guilty to drunkenly hitting cyclist before driving off

A former child safety worker was more than four times the limit when she got behind the wheel and struck a cyclist in Townsville before fleeing the scene and crashing moments later.

Taylah Whitney Kay Matthews.

A university student has narrowly avoided jail after she drunkenly ran over a cyclist and fled the scene before crashing into a concrete culvert in North Queensland.

Taylah Whitney Kay Matthews was on her way to babysit in the Townsville region on August 20, 2021 when she struck a 64-year-old bicycle rider while she was grossly intoxicated, and fled the scene when she realised her grave mistake.

Crown prosecutor Alex Stark told the District Court on Monday the 25-year-old woman was driving along the Bruce Hwy about 6.30pm when she was seen by other motorists swerving in traffic.

Mr Stark said other cars were forced to slow down due to Matthews while she continued to drive.

The court heard she swerved off the road along the highway when she struck the cyclist, which forced him over her vehicle.

He landed on the ground and suffered multiple injuries. Matthews braked suddenly however in the heat of the moment, she drove off.

She only made it 200m down the road when she crashed into a cement culvert.

The 25-year-old told police she only drank three to four glasses of wine earlier in the day which wasn’t consistent with her intoxication according to Mr Stark, with her blood alcohol reading later being revealed as 0.218 per cent.

Taylah Whitney Kay Matthews leaves court.

The victim was rushed to hospital and suffered a deep cut to his ankle and a spinal injury, which required surgery and resulted in him being hospitalised for two months.

Defence barrister Ambyr Cousen said Matthews was deeply remorseful and tried to contact the victim to offer her apologies and hoped to assist him.

Ms Cousen said Matthews moved to North Queensland after graduating high school to study when she became involved in a domestically violent relationship.

The court heard Matthews was using alcohol to cope and now suffers from post traumatic stress disorder.

The defence barrister said Matthews’ partner was yelling at her that afternoon and told her to leave him when she decided to take a babysitting job to get away from the house.

Ms Cousen said the 25-year-old worked as a child safety worker after the offence but resigned and was studying. She had also completed extensive rehabilitation.

“This is a tragic mistake made by an otherwise good person in a very bad situation,” Ms Cousen said.

Judge Glen Cash found there were exceptional circumstances as to why Matthews did not have to serve time in custody for the drunken hit and run.

Matthews pleaded guilty to dangerously operating a vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance causing grievous bodily harm before leaving the scene.

She was jailed for three years, suspended immediately for four years. She was also disqualified from driving for two years.

Originally published as Taylah Matthews pleads guilty to drunkenly hitting cyclist before driving off