A drunk driver who used his four-wheel drive as a weapon to ram head-on into an innocent motorist before turning on a bystander in Adelaide's south has been jailed for more than five years.
Ryan Lee Simpson, 40, pleaded guilty to four separate offences, including acts likely to cause serious harm and driving under the influence.
Chloe Lyons was on her way out to breakfast in June last year when she pulled out into traffic in front of Simpson.
Simpson had "unjustified anger" when he reversed into Ms Lyons's car on Commercial Road at Seaford while she was stopped at traffic lights because "she was driving under the speed limit".
He yelled at Ms Lyons and made hand signals at her, threatening to slit her throat.
He then sped off, performed a U-turn, and drove on the wrong side of the road back into Ms Lyon's car head-on at up to 70 kilometres an hour.
It injured Ms Lyons and caused her car's airbags to inflate, and also caused serious damage to the front of her vehicle and the one behind it.
Judge Michael Durrant said Simpson — who was more than three times over the legal blood-alcohol limit — then drove onto the verge, skidded to a stop and started sprinting towards and yelling obscenities at a bystander who was filming the incident.
"Your offending occurred on a busy road surrounded by other road users, it was carried out against members of the community just going about their daily lives.
"This is the type of offending that shocks and frightens the community."
Judge Durrant said Simpson had been before the court three times for drink driving offences, but this crime represented a "significant and very dangerous escalation" from his prior offences.
He said both victims had suffered as a result of Simpson's offending and Ms Lyons still experienced significant ongoing trauma, anxiety and stress on the road.
Judge Durrant accepted Simpson — who had been hospitalised for a mental breakdown prior to the crime — was now remorseful, embarrassed and disgusted by his actions.
He sentenced him to five years and eight months in prison backdated to June last year when he was arrested.
Simpson will be eligible for parole in three years.
He will also be banned from driving for 11 years upon his release.
