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A woman who crashed into a car at a fast food outlet and drove away was “sleepwalking” at the the time of the accident, a court has heard. Kim Hartley appeared before the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court on Monday charged with driving while disqualified and failing to provide information to police. Police prosecutor Senior Constable Kathleen Hewitt told the court a car registered to Hartley was in the drive through section of a KFC outlet in Albert Street, Sebastopol on July 7, 2016 when it crashed into the back of the car in front. The court heard the driver of the car in front told Hartley the car was damaged and pulled out of the drive through and parked the car to exchange details with Hartley. Hartley refused to stop and was seen driving north on Albert Street. She was stopped by police the following day while travelling to a medical appointment. Hartley, whose licence was suspended, admitted to driving without a licence on July 8 but told police she had not driven the car to KFC on July,7. She told the police the offending driver must of been one of the three male students lodgers who live at her property. However, the victim had described the driver as a “brunette female” and Hartley was charged. Hartley’s lawyer David Taminika told the court his client suffered from a sleep disorder and believed she may have been sleepwalking at the time of the accident. Mr Taminika said his client was suffering from side effects from her medication on July 8 and had chosen to drive to a medical clinic to seek treatment despite knowing her licence was suspended. Mr Taminika told the court Hartley had had a large Indian meal on the night of the crash, did not remember driving to KFC and did not recall why she would have gone there. Hartley received a three month licence suspension and a $500 fine.

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