A woman who fatally injured a pedestrian with her car in the Adelaide Hills later told police she had drunk two sixpacks of beer before getting behind the wheel.
Lisa Marie Trewren, 39, was sentenced on Wednesday to eight years in prison for the death of 31-year-old David Hoy at Totness on December 20 last year.
Mr Hoy – who was also known as Amy – had been collecting cans on the side of Mount Barker Road that night when Trewren lost control of her car and struck him, causing fatal injuries.
The District Court heard she had earlier driven from Murray Bridge to her ex-partner's house at Hahndorf.
The man told police they drove to a beach where Trewren stayed in the car drinking beer to the point of vomiting.
The court heard on the return to Hahndorf, Trewren insisted on going back to Murray Bridge, ignoring warnings from her former partner not to drive, a decision the sentencing judge called "astonishing".
"By your selfish and totally irresponsible and drunken action that night you would take the life of another person," Judge Paul Muscat said.
Immediately after fatally injuring Mr Hoy, a passenger in Trewren's car rang police, prompting threats from Trewren that were recorded by the police operator.
"That you later attempted to dissuade [the passenger] from calling the authorities was not only totally unacceptable but selfish and cowardly behaviour," Judge Muscat said.
Trewren was already disqualified from driving for a drink-driving charge in May last year.
In sentencing, Judge Muscat acknowledged Trewren's problems with mental health, which deteriorated after her mother died in 2019 and contributed to her drinking as well as her remorse and early guilty plea.
But he said her actions carried a high level of moral culpability.
Trewren's sentence was discounted by 25 per cent for an early guilty plea.
She must serve four years and nine months before being eligible for parole and is banned from driving for 15 years upon release.
