A meth‑addicted mother-of-five whose dangerous driving caused a deadly high‑speed crash in Adelaide has been released from custody.
Carlie Richards will spend the next ten years under mental health supervision after a judge found she was not criminally responsible for the death of 26‑year‑old aspiring actress Erica Hoy.
WATCH ABOVE: Mentally incompetent mum released back into community after deadly crash
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow
She had nothing to say on Tuesday as she was ushered from court and into a waiting car — a stark contrast to the tirade she unleashed on police moments after the horror crash in Gillman, in Adelaide’s northwest, that killed aspiring actress Erica Hoy.
In arrest vision from November 2022, officers can be heard asking Richards whether she was involved in a collision.
“No, I wasn’t,” she replies, before telling police to “go, go … off.”
She then threatens officers, saying: “I’m going to … hurt you. I will shoot you with your own … gun.”
Carlie Richards will not be held criminally responsible for causing the crash which killed Erica Hoy. Credit: 7NEWS
That confrontation came just moments after the 41‑year‑old ploughed into the back of a car on the Port River Expressway at high speed — a catastrophic impact that killed 26‑year‑old Hoy and left her twin sister Lisa and boyfriend Mike Reader seriously injured.
The force of the crash catapulted their vehicle into the path of a B‑triple truck.
Richards walked away without a scratch.
In 2025, the court found Richards mentally incompetent at the time of the crash, ruling she was not criminally responsible for Hoy’s death.
The court said Richards was suffering from a schizophrenic disorder — and did not understand that what she was doing was wrong.
Upon being released, Richards will spend the next ten years under strict mental health supervision.
Erica Hoy was killed in a crash after drug driver, Carlie Richards hit her car from behind. Credit: Facebook
An inconsolable Mike Reader — who had planned to marry Erica — said the decision was heartbreaking.
“I’m deeply devastated by the verdict … as someone personally impacted, this decision is difficult to accept,” he said.
He paid tribute to the woman he lost.
“Erica was an incredible person who inspired me deeply. I loved her deeply. She will always have a place in my heart,” he said.
The judge said Richards walking away unharmed would have no doubt caused the victims and their families to feel a deep sense of unfairness.
In a final message to Richards, the judge urged her to use the opportunity she has been given.
“I can only hope that with this second chance, Carlie chooses to become a better person and embraces the responsibility of being a mother in the best way possible.”
Missed scan finding led to young man’s preventable death
3 min read
Heavily armed police swarm home after alleged assault
1 min read
