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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Tim Piccione

Trapped, 'panicked' driver seriously injured after head-on car crash

A man has been left with a slew of serious injuries after another driver veered onto the wrong side of the road and crashed head-on into his Tesla.

The victim told police following the "loud bang" of the collision, "he thought his car might catch fire and he began to panic when he couldn't get the driver's door open".

The offending driver, Elissa Jane O'Donnell, has previously admitted to negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and driving with a prescribed drug in her oral fluid.

The 41-year-old Holt woman faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday, when her sentencing hearing was adjourned until next month.

Elissa Jane O'Donnell leaves court on Monday. Picture by Tim Piccione

The crash happened on the evening of January 2, 2023, on Belconnen's William Hovell Drive.

O'Donnell was driving her blue Ford Focus hatchback on the 90kmh road when she crossed onto the opposite side of the road and collided head-on with the victim's Tesla sedan.

After the crash, the trapped victim crawled over to his car's passenger door and "tumbled out onto the side of the road". He lay on the ground as he struggled to stand.

He sustained numerous injuries, including a spinal fracture, broken rib, broken and dislocated thumb, lung contusion and lacerated intestine.

Elissa Jane O'Donnell leaves court after her sentencing hearing was adjourned. Picture by Tim Piccione

According to court documents, the collision was recorded by the victim's car and the footage was recovered from the Tesla Service Centre.

A blood sample of O'Donnell following the crash came back positive for methamphetamine.

She is now set to be sentenced in late April.

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