Dixie woman sentenced in Warrnambool County Court over fatal crash

Courtney Mitcham, 20, was jailed for seven years and three months on Wednesday after pleading guilty to culpable driving causing death, negligently causing serious injury, driving while disqualified and drink-driving.

The woman was drunk when she crashed a white Jeep Cherokee on Cobden-Terang Road on July 30 last year, killing 23-year-old Adrian Phipps.

Megan Radley, 21, suffered serious injuries and was wheelchair-bound for about two months.

The three friends had been drinking at a Terang pub in the hours before the fatal collision.

In sentencing, Judge Amanda Chambers said the consequences of Mitcham's decision to drive were "entirely avoidable and utterly tragic".

She said Mitcham should never have been behind the wheel of the car given her licence was suspended for speeding.

She said Mitcham was drinking spirits for hours before deciding to drive home, knowing she was over the legal limit.

She said she planned to drive and did not deviate from that plan, even when questioned by Ms Radley.

The judge said it was also aggravating that Mitcham was observed steering with her knees and sending Snapchat messages of her driving both on the way to the hotel and prior to the collision.

She said there was no evidence the use of her phone contributed to the fatal crash.

The court previously heard that in the moments after the collision, Mitcham sent two videos on Snapchat.

The first video showed her seated in the driver's seat of her car with the air bag deployed and her hands bleeding.

In the second she was out of the car, her face covered in blood and she was crying. She switched from the front to back camera on her iPhone to reveal the car, which was on fire and Mr Phipps was trapped inside of.

Judge Chambers said while Mitcham's conduct appeared inexplicable at first, she accepted the defence submission that the offender was in shock and unable to give her precise location of the vehicle to emergency services.

She said that was evidenced in Mitcham telling the Triple-0 operator she didn't know the address, and a receiver of the Snapchats later arriving at the scene.

Judge Chambers said the magnitude of harm caused was reflected in victim impact statements submitted by Ms Radley, as well as Mr Phipps' parents Jane and Doug and brother Neil.

She said Mr Phipps was described as a loveable larrikin who would be very much missed.

The judge also acknowledged Ms Radley's brave response to the traumatic event as it was unfolding.

She said despite suffering significant injuries, Ms Radley did "everything she possibly could" to try and free Mr Phipps who was trapped in the front of the car.

The court heard Mitcham's childhood was marked by alcohol-fuelled conflict and poor role modelling involving drink-driving.

The judge accepted Mitcham showed genuine and palpable remorse, and had good prospects of rehabilitation.

Mitcham, who has already served 242 days in custody on remand, must serve a non-parole period of four years.

Her licence was suspended for six years.

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