A woman deliberately rammed into a motorcyclist – throwing him from his bike into a busy Brisbane intersection – before speeding off and leaving him lying on the road, a court has been told.
Graphic footage of Reggae Holly Jones’ “deliberate” road rage act was played to Brisbane District Court on Friday as she learned her fate.
When police confronted Jones, she told them she hit the man because she was “having a bad day” sparked by the anniversary of her young son’s death in 2010, the court was told.
Jones’ victim, supported by a cane, watched proceedings quietly from the back of court.
The pair had never met before but Jones, 30, lashed out after cutting the rider off while driving in Kedron on July 4 last year.
Crown prosecutor Elizabeth Kelso said the victim revved the bike in response before riding past her.
Traffic camera footage was played to the court, showing Jones’ car approaching the rider from the far-right lane as he stopped at the lights.
She then “deliberately” drove into the bike, throwing him into the intersection.
Ms Kelso said Jones briefly stopped before speeding off, leaving the rider injured on the ground.
She said the motorcyclist suffered multiple fractures to his shoulder, finger and femur, which required surgery.
Jones returned a BAC of .097 when she was arrested.
The court was told she broke down to police, explaining she didn’t know why she did it.
She confessed: “I shouldn’t have left the scene, it makes me look like a mongrel. He did nothing wrong to me, that’s the worst part.”
Jones had pleaded guilty to a raft of charges, including dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm while affected by an intoxicating substance and leaving the scene, and grievous bodily harm.
Seven months before the altercation, she stabbed a friend with a knife after he made a comment that “seemingly offended her”.
The court was told without urgent medical attention, the complainant may have died.
Defence barrister Jakub Lodziak said his client had a traumatic background, losing her 18-month-old son in 2010 after he fell from a balcony.
That incident was on her mind during all the offences, Mr Lodziak said.
The court was told Jones developed an addiction to alcohol shortly after losing her son and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.
“She is a person who, when free of substances, is rule-abiding, genuine and caring,” Mr Lodziak said.
“She has a life filled with considerable trauma and has never been fully assisted.”
He said Jones was “extremely remorseful” for what happened.
Jones was supported by family and friends, some of whom had flown from across the country, during her sentencing.
Judge Tony Moynihan imposed a head sentence of seven years, with Jones ordered to serve three and a half years before being eligible for parole; 460 days she spent in pre-sentence custody was declared as time served.
She was also disqualified from driving for more than four years.