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A young mother with an ‘appalling record’ of drunk driving narrowly avoids time behind bars despite colliding with a motorcyclist and leaving him with spinal injuries
- A young mother has avoided jail after hitting a motorcyclist with her car
- Danika Rae Dunne, 27, punched the cyclist while intoxicated in Pinjarra, WA
- The magistrate told the court that Dunne had an “appalling record” of driving under the influence of alcohol.
A young mother with an “appalling” drink-driving record has been spared jail time after getting behind the wheel drunk and hitting a motorcyclist.
Danika Rae Dunne, 27, was driving a blue Holden Commodore down Murray Street in Pinjarra, Western Australia, when she failed to stop at a give way sign before striking the cyclist on May 25, 2022.
The cyclist was knocked off his bike and suffered a serious spinal injury, as well as broken knees, hands and feet. western australia informed.
Dunne was charged with two counts, including reckless driving and causing bodily harm.
He faced Mandurah Magistrates Court on Friday and received a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to the charges.
Young mother Danika Rae Dunne (pictured), 27, was driving her Holden Commodore down Murray Street in Pinjarra, Western Australia, when she struck a motorcyclist after failing to stop at a yield sign.
Police gave Dunne a breath test at the scene of the accident and obtained a blood alcohol reading of 0.082. The legal limit in Australia is 0.05.
She also had a disqualified license at the time of the accident.
His victim was transported to Royal Perth Hospital after being struck.
Dunne’s lawyer, Claire Hay, said the collision was the “wake-up call” the young woman needed to “put her life in order and prioritize her health and her young daughter”.
“She has participated in alcohol and drug diversion programs and is currently seeing a psychologist, which she would like to continue,” he added.
Ms Hay told the court that Dunne had been diagnosed with frontal lobe syndrome, which affects an individual’s decision-making, personality, emotions and judgment, following a car accident when she was young.
Dunne, who was an impaired driver at the time, was given a breath test by police at the scene of the accident and obtained a blood alcohol reading of 0.082. His victim suffered a serious spinal injury and fractures to the knee, hands and feet.
Magistrate Leanne Atkins said the girl had an “appalling record” of drink-driving. Dunne received a suspended sentence and was disqualified from driving for another 15 months.
Magistrate Leanne Atkins acknowledged that Dunne had an “appalling record” of drink driving, but ruled that Dunne would receive only a suspended sentence.
She was also banned from driving for another 15 months.
“This poor man has spinal injuries and multiple fractures because he did not drive with the due care and attention that he should have,” Ms Atkins said.
“The nature of the injuries means that incarceration is open and appropriate, but hearing more about his background and steps taken in the right direction, I won’t get close to that today.”