Woman escapes jail after wedding day crash

A woman who ran into another car on her wedding day, near the Blue Mountains killing the driver, has escaped jail time.

Jennifer Thomas had been on her way to get dressed for her wedding in 2006, when she ran into the back of a car at Kurrajong, being driven by 79-year-old Ronald Hawkins.

Mr Hawkins showed no signs of being significantly hurt, but 16 hours later he died in hospital from brain injuries.

Thomas was charged with negligent driving occasioning death, but the court has heard that everything that could have been done at the scene of the crash was carried out.

While sentencing, magistrate Margaret Quinn described the case as “unusual”.
"The moral culpability ... is low," Ms Quinn said during sentencing.
"Ms Thomas has no record and ... it's not a case of a situation where there have been other matters on (her) record."

Thomas has had her driver’s licence disqualified for 12 months.

She’s also been fined $308.