16 April 2023 , 12:55
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Shocking dash-cam footage shows a drunk woman driver ploughing her car into a hedge - moments after running over two elderly pedestrians.
Sarah Reese, 59, injured two bystanders when she got behind the wheel after drinking.
The incident, recorded on a dashboard camera in Reese's car, shows her driving downhill before she loses control of the car, mounts the curb and careers into a hedge.
Before she takes to the road the camera also picks up Reese telling somebody off-camera: "I was not going to drive away."
But moments later she reversed out of her driveway in her black Seat before driving off erratically at around 8pm on April 17 in Fairlight, Sussex.
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Footage shows Sarah Reese ploughing her car into a hedge after running over two elderly pedestrians (SWNS)A blood test showed she had 135mg of alcohol per litre of blood in her body - much higher than the legal limit of 80mg.
Reese was sentenced in December after she admitted to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving while over the limit.
She was jailed for 18 months and disqualified from driving for three years and nine months after which she will have to take an extended re-test.
The incident was recorded on a dashboard camera in Reese's car (SWNS)The former local authority employee appealed her sentence but she lost the appeal at Lewes Crown Court on March 31.
Sussex Police said they had shared the footage to remind drivers of the dangers of drinking alcohol and then getting behind the wheel.
The woman's crashed car (Sussex Police / SWNS)Roads Policing Unit officer PC Nigel Dunn said: "This case shows the dangers of driving a vehicle after drinking alcohol.
"Reese claimed that she was not impaired, but the footage shows how erratic and dangerous her driving was.
"She caused serious harm to an elderly couple who were walking on the pavement, and was lucky that she did not cause further harm."
The car was damaged in the crash (SWNS)PC Dunn added: "Drink-driving is one of the main factors in why people are killed or seriously injured on our roads.
"So we are pleased that the court rejected the appeal.
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"It should be a warning to every drink-driver not to take the risk with their own safety and the safety of other road users."