Daily London
An unlicensed and drunk driver will spend up to 11 years behind bars for fatally hitting a young woman as he left a rave and dragging her under his car.
Elise Hodder, 24, was arriving at the rave in Kooyong, in Melbourne’s south-east, to celebrate her friend Emma Swords’ birthday when her life was suddenly cut short.
As they walked across the car park, Hodder and Swords were hit by a fast-moving gold sedan driven by drunk and unlicensed driver Connor Mathiasson, just after 1am on October 13, 2024.
Mathiasson had reversed into the group of friends and then drove forward, dragging Hodder under the car, where she became stuck and later died.
Swords suffered serious injuries, including two broken ankles, and had to learn to walk again while grieving her friend’s death.
Mathiasson had a blood alcohol level of three to four times the legal limit, after sharing a 10-pack of Jack Daniels and coke while driving to the event and continuing to drink at the rave before getting behind the wheel.
The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing Hodder’s death and negligently causing serious injury to Ms Swords.
He wore prison greys as he sat at the back of the court where he was sentenced this morning, surrounded by dozens ofHodder’s devastated friends and family.
Hodder’s mother Pauline sobbed from the front row of the court in Melbourne as circumstances of the deadly crash were read out.
County Court Judge Robyn Harper said “this was a catastrophic collision, entirely of your own doing” and labelled Mathiasson a “collision waiting to happen”.
“You were caught on way to the rave driving in excess of speed limit, unlicensed, driving while drinking,” the judge said.
“All of these factors demonstrate your contempt for the safety of other road users on the night in question.
“Ms Hodder has lost her life, Ms Swords’ future has been irrevocably damaged – all because you chose to drive negligently while significantly affected by alcohol.”
She jailed Mathiasson for a maximum of 11 years but he will be eligible for release on parole after serving seven years of that sentence.
His licence will be disqualified for nine years.
