Carlie Richards found mentally incompetent over fatal Adelaide crash that killed Erica Hoy
Erica Hoy, 26, had been sitting in the backseat of a Toyota being driven down the Port River Expressway in Gillman, in Adelaide's northwest, by her twin sister when the vehicle was struck from behind by Carlie Richards' Holden Cruze and pushed into the path of an oncoming truck.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Carlie Richards will not be held criminally responsible for deadly crash.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today
Richards, 41, was high on meth and travelling almost 100km/h over the 60km/h speed limit at the point of impact, the court was told.
However, she will not be held criminally responsible for Hoy's death in November 2022, after the judge found she was mentally incompetent at the time of the collision — suffering from a schizophrenic disorder — and did not understand that what she was doing was wrong.
Appearing via video link from the Adelaide Women's Prison, Richards cried as the verdict was handed down.
Erica Hoy's twin sister, Lisa, and boyfriend, Mike Reader, were seriously injured in the crash.
Reader told 7NEWS: 'To lose someone they loved so dearly and not see a direct consequence for it ... it's difficult to process.'
'My heart goes out to all of (Hoy's) family. I'll honour her life. She will always have a place in my heart and be my inspiration.'
Richards was uninjured and fled the crash scene.
She later pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident after causing death and harm.
The case will return to court in July for a pre-sentence hearing.
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