A mother of two has been sentenced to prison for a drunken speedboat crash that severely injured a swimmer at Mannum in South Australia's Murraylands.
Details of the Incident
Amy Lohf, 44, was operating a speedboat while towing two water skiers on Australia Day in 2025. Her blood-alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit at the time of the crash.
During a sentencing hearing on Friday, the court was told that Lohf’s vessel struck a young female swimmer, pulling her into the propeller and inflicting devastating injuries. The victim suffered catastrophic damage and the court heard it was a miracle she survived.
Court Proceedings
Prosecutors revealed that Lohf had shared four bottles of champagne with three friends earlier that day before boarding the boat “seemingly without a care in the world.” The former veterinary nurse pleaded guilty to causing serious harm by dangerous driving.
The judge sentenced her on Friday to two years, eight months and 13 days in prison, with a non-parole period of one year and four months. He noted that Lohf accelerated in an area where swimmers were present, had to be told to stop the boat, and was unaware of what she had done, describing the behaviour as “underlines the state of her intoxication.”
Community Impact and Remorse
The court heard that Lohf, a mother of two, is genuinely remorseful but has been targeted and ostracised by members of the Mannum community. She now avoids public places, including the local supermarket, and is effectively confined to her home.
The judge ruled that the offending was far too serious for home detention or a suspended sentence. Lohf will be eligible to apply for parole in September next year.
