Young woman accused of drinking a ‘cocktail of drugs’ before hurtling down the highway at 100 km/h in a Nissan and fatally hitting another driver
- Evie Butterworth charged with driving in fatal accident
- 29-year-old believed to be under the influence of multiple drugs
- Released on bail after being charged with manslaughter
A young woman accused of driving nearly 60 mph over the speed limit, leading to a fatal accident, was also under the influence of multiple drugs, a court heard.
Evie Lyn Butterworth, 29, was reportedly driving the Nissan Maxima that collided with Abbey Sheriff’s Nissan X-Trail on the Kwinana Freeway in Perth just before midnight on January 11.
Ms Sheriff, 21, died at the scene after her vehicle flew into a cycle path near Baldivis due to the collision.
Mrs Butterworth appeared on Thursday in Perth Magistrates Court where she was charged with manslaughter and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs.
Police allege she was hit with a cocktail of various drugs with traces of cocaine, cannabis and methamphetamine, all found in her system.
Evie Lyn Butterworth, 29 (pictured) appeared before Perth Magistrates Court where she was charged with manslaughter and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs
Abbey Sheriff, 21 (pictured), died at the scene after her car was flung into a nearby cycle path on Perth’s Kwinana Freeway
Prosecutors also charged Ms. Butterworth with driving between 90 mph and 117 mph on the 50 mph highway.
She spent Wednesday night in custody following her arrest, appearing in court with Magistrate Huston posting the accused $50,000 bail.
The bail includes conditions that Ms Butterworth must live with her parents, report regularly to the police and undergo urinalysis.
In granting her bail, Magistrate Richard Huston said he was “deeply aware” that there had been a fatality involved in the alleged crime, which he described as “incredibly tragic.” ABC news reported.
However, he noted that everyone had the right to the presumption of innocence, which was a fundamental principle of the legal system.
Ms Sheriff suffered multiple injuries after her vehicle rolled three times on impact and could not be rescued, police told the court.
Ms Butterworth (pictured) was granted $50,000 bail on Thursday after spending the previous night in custody
Police are pictured at the scene of the fatal accident in Baldivis just after midnight on January 11, where Ms Butterworth was accused of driving between 90 mph and 117 mph
Mrs Sheriff (pictured) had only recently celebrated her 21st birthday and was on her way to a friend’s house on the night of the accident
The 21-year-old was on her way to a friend’s house on the night of the accident and had only recently bought her car.
Mrs Sheriff’s parents have set up a Facebook page in memory of ‘our beautiful daughter Abbey Rose’.
“Abbey was our only child,” the post read, “we’ve had 10 failed pregnancies and fought so hard to bring her into the world and have her taken away from us…”
Ms Butterworth is due back in court at the end of this month.