8:00am Friday 16th May 2008
A WOMAN who mowed down a young soldier in Warrington town centre was more than three times over the legal drink driving limit, a court heard.
Priscilla Cooper, aged 24, of Slater Street, pleaded guilty at Warrington Magistrates' Court on Thursday to three counts of driving offences, including running over 18-year-old Daniel Barnett, leaving the scene of an accident and drink driving.
The court heard that the collision, which left Mr Barnett with serious injuries, happened on Friars Gate just after midnight on Saturday, April 19.
Prosecutor Sandra Eze said: "As the defendant drove past Wetherspoons, a young man was crossing the road at the side of Chicago Rock and, as she drove around the corner, she collided with the male pedestrian, throwing him between 10 and 15 feet further up the road.
"At the time it was quite busy and lots of people were around.
"The defendant did not stop the vehicle. Instead she drove to the end of the road at Wilson Patten street where she switched off her lights in an attempt to hide her number plate."
Cooper, who had drunk three or four large shots of vodka with Red Bull and three to four shots of another spirit, turned her lights back on before driving off and was captured on CCTV.
James Edwards, representing Cooper, said: "She felt she was able to drive and is desperately sorry now."
Cooper, a warehouse operative, was told by bench chairman Mike Nash that she might face prison.
He said: "You knocked over a pedestrian and drove off, effectively leaving him for dead.
"You had no idea how that person was.
"We are not ruling out the penalty of custody."
The case was adjourned until June 10 for a pre-sentence report.
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