Drink driver could be out of jail in five years after baby's death
A drunk driver who killed a baby girl in a horrifying crash in Melbourne could walk free from jail in just five years.
Blake Chadwick spent the afternoon drinking and was three times over the limit, blowing .156 per cent, when he smashed into a family’s car killing a child only days before Christmas, 2016.
County Court judge Paul Lacava told the 25-year-old in court it was “obvious” alcohol had affected his driving skills at the time of the collision.
“This was a major cause of the collision which caused the death of a doubtless, beautiful 16 month-old-girl,” he said.
Chadwick had four friends in the car with him and ignored their screams to slow down as he approached a stop sign – an act Judge Lacava labelled “selfish in the extreme”.
“You endangered all who come into your path,” the judge said.
As Chadwick crossed the intersection he slammed into a car carrying a family of four.
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The little girl was airlifted from Phillip Island to hospital but died hours later while her mother was left with a punctured lung and broken ribs.
For culpable and negligent driving causing injury, Chadwick was ordered to spend seven years in jail.
While the judge accepted that Chadwick had shown genuine remorse for his actions and made it clear that his sentence had to be harsh in order to stop others from drink driving.
The 25-year-old will be eligible for parole in four years and eight months.
