Edna Galas Flores Norton: Woman charged over crash that killed Nicole Weeden makes first court appearance

The woman accused of killing beloved mother and Albany sporting figure Nicole Weeden has finally made her first court appearance, after the magistrate threatened to issue an arrest warrant when she didn’t show up to the previous hearing. Edna Galas Flores Norton, 68, appeared in Albany Magistrates Court on Tuesday on the charges of dangerous driving in circumstances which subsequently resulted in death, and dangerous driving causing bodily harm in a manner that was dangerous to the public. The death of Ms Weeden caused an outpouring of grief in the Albany community, who remembered her as a dedicated volunteer in Albany’s netball and basketball associations. The court hearing on Tuesday was Ms Norton’s first appearance after she did not attend her first hearing on March 14. At the time, her lawyer Haydon Bawden told the court she could not attend due to mobility issues and she was still recovering from injuries sustained in the crash but was warned by Magistrate Dianne Scadden the doctor’s letter provided was insufficient to excuse her attendance. During her short court hearing on Tuesday, Ms Norton walked with crutches and appeared to be in pain as she sat down. Ms Scaddan read the charges to Ms Norton, who spoke only to confirm she understood them. Mr Bawden asked for the case to be adjourned for two months to allow time to conduct medical assessments and receive hospital records. Ms Norton’s next court appearance will be on June 13. A mother of four, Ms Weeden was driving south from Mt Barker to Albany with her youngest daughter Shanaya on August 6 when their Isuzu MU-X was involved in a head-on collision with a Toyota Prado heading north. Ms Weeden died of her injuries at the scene, and her daughter suffered broken bones in the crash. A public memorial service on August 26 drew more than 500 people paying tribute to Ms Weeden, who was described as the “heart and soul” of the local netball and basketball associations. Speaking to the Advertiser before the memorial last year, Ms Weeden’s eldest son Keanu described his mother as a caring woman who was like a “second mum” to many of his friends. “She was a very selfless person,” he said. “She was an extremely hard worker and she just devoted her life to other people.”