Moving forward, she accelerated towards the second crossing, on the east side, the court heard.
The victim, Nelson woman Joan Todd, had walked out onto the crossing. Braithwaite failed to stop, the front of her car striking the elderly woman, who was projected forward 4.5 metres, landing on the road.
A specialist crash investigator’s analysis of the scene estimated that Braithwaite was travelling between 27 and 33kmh at the time, the court heard.
Todd suffered a fractured hip and an acute subdural hemorrhage of the brain. She was taken to hospital, where she died the following day.
“In explanation, the defendant stated there was bright sunlight and a strong wind which caused moving shadows along the road where the crossing was,” the summary of facts said.