A 20-year-old woman has been sentenced to seven years in prison after a drunken car crash in south-west Victoria that killed a close friend and severely injured another.
Courtney Mitcham, who was 19 at the time, was drinking with 23-year-old Adrian Phipps and a 21-year-old female friend at the Wheatsheaf Hotel in Terang on the night of July 30, 2022.
All three were seen drinking shots of spirits and with one witness said they observed Mitcham drink seven bottles of pre-mixed drinks.
Despite a suspended licence, the teenager insisted on driving home that night.
The Dixie woman had previously admitted to "showing off" while driving by using her knees on the steering wheel and changing a song on her phone.
Sometime before 1am Mitcham failed to navigate a bend on Cobden-Terang Road and the car veered on to a grassed area, hit some trees and flipped.
Today Warrnambool County Court heard the 21-year-old woman, who was in the rear seat, was the first to regain consciousness.
Despite having a severely broken wrist, she attempted to free 23-year-old Adrian Phipps.
When the cabin of the car began to fill with "chemicals", Judge Amanda Chambers said, the "incredibly brave" woman broke the back windshield and got herself and Mitcham to safety before the car erupted in flames.
Adrian Phipps was declared dead at the scene.
The court heard Mitcham was crying, "I killed him, I killed him, I killed him," to paramedics.
When police arrived at the scene of the crash, the teenager immediately admitted to drink driving.
A test revealed she had a blood alcohol content between 0.140 and 0.152 per cent.
'Entirely avoidable and utterly tragic'
The court heard the 19-year-old sent videos of herself crying and bleeding in front the burning wreck to several people on the social media application SnapChat.
In sentencing today, Judge Amanda Chambers revealed that the videos were sent to friends in an attempt to determine their location so they could direct emergency services.
Judge Chambers said the SnapChat videos would not be used as an aggravating factor in sentencing.
"However … this was not an instance where your decision to drive was spontaneous," Judge Chambers said.
"You refused to deviate from that plan and have nonetheless driven irresponsibly on the way home, and on the drive prior.
"[The crash] was entirely avoidable and utterly tragic."
The judge spoke of victim impact statements tendered to the court from Adrian Phipps's family, who described him as a "larrikin" who was recovering from mental health issues and was "very much looking forward to the future".
The 21-year-old female survivor received serious injuries in the crash and was wheelchair-bound for two months.
She also required surgery on her broken wrist.
Judge Chambers spoke of how she was terrified of losing more loved ones after the death of "her best friend".
"I'd like to acknowledge how [the survivor] acted so very bravely," Judge Chambers added.
"She did everything she possibly could do to release Mr Phipps … and when the car was filling with fumes she ensured they got out."
The court heard Mitcham had displayed a high level of guilt and shame.
She previously pleaded guilty to charges of culpable driving causing death and negligently causing serious injury.
Mitcham was sentenced to seven years and three months in custody.
She will be eligible for parole in four years.
