Dixie woman fronts Warrnambool Magistrates Court over death of passenger

Courtney Mitcham, 19, is accused of having a blood alcohol content of at least .120 when she allegedly crashed a white Jeep Cherokee on Cobden-Terang Road on Saturday.

She allegedly got herself out of the vehicle and took a photo of the car on fire, despite her friend Adrian Phipps, 23, being inside.

Police allege she posted the photo on social media application Snapchat before calling 000.

The man died at the scene.

A second passenger, a 21-year-old woman, also got herself out of the vehicle before the fire and remains in hospital with serious injuries, Warrnambool Magistrates Court was told on Monday.

Ms Mitcham was subsequently charged with culpable driving causing death and driving while suspended.

Ms Mitcham, who had twice lost her licence for speeding at more than 30km/h over the limit, appeared in court on Monday for a bail application.

Major Collision Investigation Unit Detective Sergeant Stephen Hill told the court the trio had arrived at Terang's Wheatsheaf Hotel about 8.30pm Friday night and were drinking alcohol until the establishment closed at 1am.

He said the group left the hotel in the Jeep with Ms Mitcham driving, Mr Phipps in the front passenger seat and the second woman in the rear.

The detective said the accused failed to negotiate a bend on Dixie's Cobden-Terang Road and crashed into a tree.

He said a fire started in the front of the vehicle and the two women failed to remove Mr Phipps before the Jeep was engulfed in flames.

The court heard Mr Phipps likely died on impact.

Ms Mitcham allegedly told police she consumed four premixed whiskey stubbies and three shots before leaving the venue.

But Detective Sergeant Hill said a bartender told police she had served the accused woman seven whiskey stubbies and three shots.

In her statement the bartender said Ms Mitcham twice asked for "some travellers" to consume on the way home, which was refused.

The court heard the witness offered the trio a lift but they laughed and walked away.

The bartender didn't see the group enter the vehicle but later allegedly received the Snapchat photo of the fiery crash from the accused.

She told police Ms Mitcham also sent a message admitting to killing Mr Phipps, the court heard.

Detective Sergeant Hill said police were awaiting the results of the woman's preliminary breath test but it was expected to be higher than .120.

He said the investigation continued and more charges were expected to be laid.

He said the accused woman had held a licence for a relatively short period but had received two penalty notices for speeding, including exceeding the speed limit by 30 km/h but less than 35km/h in June last year and by 35 km/h but less than 40 km/h in March.

Ashlea Addamo, representing Ms Mitcham, said if released on bail her client would have strong family support and was eligible for the Court Integrated Services Program, which linked people on bail to support services.

But magistrate Franz Holzer said there was a "wholly unacceptable" risk of Ms Mitcham committing an offence, endangering the safety or welfare of the community, and failing to appear on bail.

He said the accused woman had shown a disregard for the law by speeding and there were concerning elements of the alleged offending, including taking the photograph which he described as "curious in the extreme".

Ms Mitcham was refused bail and remanded in custody.

She will appear in court again in November for a committal mention hearing.

A large group of people attended Monday's hearing to support the accused woman.

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