Driver faces jail after "thoughtless stupidity"

A 22-year-old Albany woman has been warned she faces a jail term after she was charged in relation to a car crash involving four unrestrained passengers who were lucky to survive, after being thrown from the car.

Police allege the woman was driving at more than double the legal alcohol limit.

They allege she reached speeds up to 140km/h with six passengers, including one in the boot of her hatchback, when it crashed on a sharp right-hand bend on South Coast Highway about 15km west of Albany on November 16.

A teenage passenger, who was found 20m from the car on the other side of the road face down in a ditch, suffered serious internal bleeding, a fractured pelvis and spine.

She remains in a stable condition in Royal Perth Hospital with lacerations to her kidney, liver, spleen and lung.

Three other passengers who were not wearing seatbelts were also ejected on impact and sustained severe bruising, lacerations and broken bones.

Police are shocked there were no fatalities.

Olivia Marston was charged on Tuesday with dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm, three counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm and excess 0.08. She allegedly recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.111 per cent.

Police allege she had been drinking at an 18th birthday party on Scotsdale Road in Denmark before deciding to drive back to Albany the next morning after not sleeping.

Three of her friends were in the car when they stopped to give two teenage boys, who had started walking from the party at 5.30am, a lift.

When Ms Marston appeared in Albany Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, the court was told a 15-year-old girl sat on her friend’s lap to make room for the two boys, and Ms Marston stopped to give another friend a lift and helped her sit in the boot.

Defence counsel Graeme Payne said Ms Marston acknowledged the seriousness of the charges and requested a three-week remand for legal advice. She was bailed to reappear in court on December 11.

Great Southern traffic Sergeant Peter May said it was lucky there were no fatalities from the “thoughtless stupidity”.

“I’m still wondering today how that didn’t happen,” Sgt May said.

“There should be three fatalities minimum.”

Sgt May said he was becoming increasingly frustrated the road safety message was not getting through.

“What were they thinking? I don’t understand why you would get into the boot,” he said.

“To put that many people in your car and drive after drinking, I can’t think of anything more irresponsible.”

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