A RUPANYUP woman will face court after she was involved in a car crash that killed a Harrow woman.
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Clerissa Stocker, 27, appeared at a committal hearing at Horsham Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday and Wednesday.
She is charged with culpable driving causing death, driving in a dangerous manner causing death, negligently causing serious injury, driving in a dangerous manner causing serious injury, reckless conduct endangering life, reckless conduct endangering serious injury and careless driving.
She is also charged with failing a drug test within three hours of driving.
Stocker pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The charges relate to a two-car collision on the Western Highway in March last year.
Stocker was driving with two children about two kilometres from Stawell when her vehicle collided with another car at 1pm on March 30.
The female passenger in the second car died at the scene, while the male driver was taken to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne in a critical condition.
Stocker was taken to Stawell hospital for observation.
The prosecution argued Stocker was driving with her two young children in the car after she had taken a cocktail of drugs.
The two children she was travelling with suffered minor injuries and were taken to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne.
Stocker’s two children were injured in another car crash in May 2011, when their father Keith Anthony hit a tree near Dimboola.
Mr Anthony was killed in the incident and the children were seriously injured.
The two-day hearing included evidence from 14 witnesses, including police informant Detective Senior Constable Chris Hayes and The Alfred sleep physician Matthew Norton.
Detective Hayes said the female passenger died as a result of the crash.
Stocker’s mobile phone records were also submitted to the court as evidence.
Professor Norton said the records showed a significant amount of activity between 10pm and 7am in the days leading up to the collision.
He said this could indicate Stocker was sleep-deprived.
Professor Norton said in a statement the collision was a direct result of Stocker’s sleepiness.
Magistrate Peter Mithen said Stocker would face the Victorian County Court in Melbourne on November 5.