Dangerous driver awaits sentencing for causing bodily harm

A Welland motorist had a cocktail of cocaine, codeine, methamphetamines, marijuana and Xanax in her system when she drove into a hydro pole in rural Niagara Falls, court heard Thursday.

Cassandra McKay, 44, appeared in an Ontario Court of Justice in St. Catharines on Thursday and pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving causing bodily harm. She is scheduled to return to court Sept. 17 for sentencing.

On April 10, 2017, court heard, McKay was travelling along Netherby Road near Crowland Avenue at speeds topping 140 kilometres per hour when she collided with a hydro pole.

“The car struck the hydro pole with such velocity the pole was severed in half,” assistant Crown attorney Andrew Brown told the judge.

The car became airborne and rolled over several times before coming to a rest in a farmer’s field.

A male passenger in the car sustained serious injuries including broken ribs. A second man escaped injury.

McKay was airlifted to a Hamilton Hospital for treatment of significant injuries.

A nurse discovered a bag of cocaine in the woman’s bra.

In an unrelated case, McKay was placed on probation for 18 months in March 2018 on an animal cruelty charge after her dog was dragged behind a car in downtown Welland for almost a kilometre.

Court heard the defendant had hooked the dog’s leash to the passenger side door of her car before going in to the Beer Store. She returned to the car a few moments later and drove off, forgetting the dog was tied to the side of the vehicle.

The dog’s leash broke seconds before the car collided with another vehicle.