‘Unguided missile’: fatal crash doctor fuelled by hate
Aaron Bunch |
A doctor who killed a young woman in a high-speed crash while almost four times over the legal alcohol limit was an “unguided missile” fuelled by rum and hatred for his estranged wife, a court has been told.
Perth obstetrician Rhys Henry Stone Bellinge, 46, pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing Elizabeth Pearce, 24, while driving his supercharged Jaguar in Perth’s leafy riverside suburb of Dalkeith in February 2025.
The father of two, who was recorded as having a blood alcohol reading of 0.183 soon after the collision, had been drinking rum, wine and beer at the football in the hours before the catastrophe about 10.13pm.
Dashcam footage played to the Western Australian Supreme Court on Tuesday during sentencing submissions recorded Bellinge yelling vitriolic profanities about his estranged wife before the crash.
“I hate you … You’re a piece of shit … That is my house … You’re robbing me,” he said before accelerating away from outside a home he previously shared with his family.
The footage shows Bellinge’s car speeding down dark suburban streets past parked cars and tailgating moving vehicles as he continues to shout vile statements at other drivers and his wife amid a fit described in court as road rage.
Seconds before the crash, Bellinge’s high-revving Jaguar approaches a sweeping bend in the road, which he failed to negotiate, leading to the crash with an Uber travelling in the opposite direction.
“What a f***wit … I’m so sorry,” Bellinge was recorded saying after the crash.
Ms Pearce was a passenger in the Honda Jazz Uber struck by Bellinge’s Jaguar, which reached about 130km/h before he lost control of it and slammed into a kerb.
Ms Pearce, who was seated in the back of the rideshare, later died in hospital from her injuries.
The former bricklayer turned medico later told police his “emotions went bananas” when he drove to his former family home, and that the visit had triggered him and he was crying as he drove away.
He blamed the incident on a car turning in front of him, and the court heard he had a limited recollection of the events, although Justice Amanda Forrester said she doubted this.
Prosecutor Justin Whalley said Bellinge was speeding and intoxicated and unable to control his car.
“He was an unguided missile that was going to cause death or injury to someone,” he said.
Bellinge also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm while under the influence of alcohol over the injuries to Uber driver Muhammad Usman.
Then 25 years old, Mr Usman suffered two broken legs and arm injuries in the late-night collision.
He attended court with the aid of a walking stick.
Bellinge, who was a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, suffered spinal injuries in the incident.
Defence lawyer David Grace said Bellinge had caused a “horrendous and tragic” crash that resulted in “indescribable suffering and pain” for the Pearce family.
Bellinge, who has been in protective custody while on remand, had been taking powerful prescription drugs and was self-medicating with alcohol. He was behaving “oddly” amid depression following separation from his wife.
He was experiencing anxiety, agitation, insomnia, short temper, blackouts, mental impairment and muscle spasms during this period, Mr Grace said.
He had also “swigged” from the rum bottle that police found in his car before the crash, Mr Grace said as he summarised a medical report that pointed to Bellinge’s alcohol abuse.
Bellinge also admitted reckless driving while exceeding the speed limit by 45 km/h and dangerous driving in the days leading up to the crash that killed Ms Pearce.
He will be sentenced later on Tuesday.
AAP