Perth, Australia – A 24-year-old woman is dead and an Uber driver is seriously injured after a high-speed drunken crash in one of Perth’s wealthiest suburbs. The alleged perpetrator, obstetrician Ryhs Bellinge, is now behind bars after being released from the hospital.
According to police, Bellinge was driving his Jaguar at 130kmh with a blood-alcohol level of 0.183 when he crashed into an Uber in Dalkeith on February 15. The collision killed 24-year-old Elizabeth Pearce and left Uber driver Mohammad Usman, 25, with serious injuries, including broken legs and an arm.
Usman, who is still recovering in the hospital, released a statement expressing his shock and condolences to Pearce’s family. “I’m struggling to comprehend what happened,” he said. “My thoughts are with Elizabeth’s family during this difficult time.”
Bellinge, who was hospitalized with broken vertebrae, has been charged with manslaughter and dangerous driving. He was denied bail despite offering a $1 million surety and promising to stay at his parents’ home under a 24-hour curfew.
The court was shown dashcam footage from Bellinge’s Jaguar, which revealed a pattern of aggressive and reckless driving in the days leading up to the fatal crash. Magistrate Clare Cullen cited the footage as evidence of Bellinge’s high risk of reoffending and denied his bail.
Bellinge’s lawyer claimed that the doctor was struggling to cope with the emotional upset of a recent marriage breakdown. However, Magistrate Cullen remained unconvinced, stating that the risk of reoffending was too great to grant bail.
