A mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver attacked Kate Ritchie, who was caught crossing the cliff.
Judy Lindsay lost her 20-year-old daughter, Hayley, on May 16, 2009, when her drunken boyfriend crashed her car while sitting in the backseat.
Ms Lindsay said she had no excuse, even though the former Home and Away star had just crossed the 0.06 mark, as the actress and radio host, who was once hailed as “Australia’s darling”, should give an example.
“Kate Ritchie is not who I thought she was,” she told Daily Mail Australia, adding that she was “shocked” when she read the news of the 44-year-old arrest.
“Come on, you should know better.”
Kate Ritchie was caught driving while intoxicated when she was randomly stopped for a breath test in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on Monday.
Judy Lindsay (right) lost her 20-year-old daughter Hayley (left) when her drunken boyfriend crashed her car while sitting in the backseat. He lashed out at Ritchie for his positive test
Miss Lindsay, whose life will never be the same after receiving a phone call about Hayley’s death, is determined to prevent other families from driving under the influence of alcohol.
Celebrities breaking the law, he said, undermined efforts to prevent Australians from risking their own lives and the lives of others on the street.
“I know it’s low range, but still drunk driving. We have rules about why people die, and you can’t find an excuse for that,” he said.
How many teenagers have grown up watching Kate Ritchie on TV? He cannot do such a thing because he is a bad example.
“Didn’t you find out?” “As long as people continue to die, no one is above the law,” he said.
Since receiving the paramedics’ call, no parent wants to know when Hayley (pictured) died in 2009, Ms. Lindsay is determined to make sure her family doesn’t have to go through what she went through.
The crash site where Hayley died. He sat in the back seat and died while his friends escaped with minor injuries.
Ritchie, 44, apologized for his “bad judgment” after getting behind the wheel of a blue Subaru station wagon in Pagewood, South Sydney, at around 2:45 PM on Monday.
He tested positive and was immediately arrested and taken to the Maroubra police station, where the result was confirmed as 0.06 BAL.
“I recently did a random breath test. The test came back positive, although it was a low level, ”the radio star wrote on Instagram.
“I made the wrong decision and I undoubtedly understand the seriousness of my actions. I am really sorry.’
Ms Lindsay shared how her life changed forever when she received a phone call at 11:34 PM 23 years ago.
(Caller) He asked if I was Hayley’s mother, I said yes, the lady said Hayley had a very serious car accident.
‘I said he was fine and the lady said, unfortunately we weren’t able to revive him.
“I went straight to the crash site, standing on the side of the road in disbelief that he was with Hayley’s body.
“I live knowing that Haley was scared and wanted to get out of the car but wouldn’t stop. She took Hayley’s life into her own hands and trashed it.’
Ritchie was fined $600 at the scene and banned from driving for three months.
Ritchie’s drunken driving comes at a bad time as he negotiates a new contract with Nova after attending the 2013 driving time show with Tim Blackwell (left) and former chef Marty Sheargold. Current co-host Joel Creasy is on the right
Her ex-husband – former rugby league star Stuart Webb – was caught driving under the influence five times between 2012 and 2019, when the couple broke up.
Ritchie’s drunken driving comes at a bad time as he negotiates a new contract with Nova after attending the 2013 driving time show with Tim Blackwell and former chef Marty Sheargold.
Well-placed radio sources say the former Home and Away star’s future is “uncertain” and could be changed.
When he was first seen since his arrest, he ignored the media near his home and refused to answer questions about his future.
EXCLUSIVE: Why Kate Ritchie May ‘Lose A $1 Million Radio Job’: Nova Wants ‘Cheaper Replacement’ When Caught Driving Drunk on the Eve of Home and Away Star’s Long-Awaited Television Return
After nearly a decade hosting Nova’s famous driving show, Kate Ritchie’s time on the radio network may be over.
Well-placed radio sources say the future of the former Home and Away star, who joined the show in 2013 with Tim Blackwell and ex-host Marty Sheargold, is “uncertain” as he and his management enter into contractual renegotiations.
Hopes for a new deal took a hit when he was caught driving under the influence of Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
Long absences were cited by an insider as one of the black spots against Ritchie
The former Home and Away star was stopped by police at 2:45 PM last Monday for a random breath test in the blue Subaru station wagon on Heffron Rd in Pagewood.
Ritchie, 44, tested positive by the roadside and was immediately arrested and taken to the Maroubra Police Station, where a second breath analysis was performed, which produced a positive reading of 0.06 just above the legal limit.
A police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: “You have been given a notice of violation and a notice of suspension of license for the offense of driving with a prescribed low concentration of alcohol.”
Ritchie is said to have been fined $600 at the scene and given a three-month driving ban.
When he was first seen since his arrest, he ignored the media near his home and refused to answer questions about his future.
The incident occurred while the veteran star was on three weeks off from the show after a series of long vacations over the past few years.
The recent prolonged absences from the radio waves have been cited by an industry expert as one of the black spots in Ritchie’s name and the perfect salary package, which has steadily risen to an estimated $1 million over the years.
At one point in 2020, Ritchie took seven consecutive weeks off his afternoon shift, and one radio broadcaster described it as “unheard of.”
A Nova spokesperson dismissed speculation that Ritchie would be replaced, insisting that Ritchie was “working” with his management to balance his radio duties with a planned “return to his acting roots.”
Ricki-Lee Coulter (pictured) is currently Ritchie’s replacement and has been selected as the most likely successor if Nova chooses to complete his mission on the network.
The former soap opera star, who is also a judge on the upcoming season of Australia’s Got Talent on Channel Seven, presents Nova’s show drive with Blackwell and new Joel Creasy replacing Sheargold in 2020.
Ricki-Lee Coulter is currently replacing Ritchie and has been named as the most likely successor if Nova chooses to complete his tenure on the network.
A source said Coulter would cost the station about $300,000 a year, making it a much cheaper option as Nova reportedly wants to slash its budget.
Nova’s national driver show is estimated to have an annual budget of around $4 million, but was beaten in the ratings by KIIS FM’s Will and Woody, hosted by popular duo Will McMahon and Woody Whitelaw, who received around $500,000 each. .
Ritchie first joined Nova in 2008 as a breakfast host with Merrick Watts and Tim Ross.
He left that job in 2010 to return to acting, but later joined the drivers’ team in 2014.
The show, flanked by Blackwell and Sheargold, won three Australian Commercial Radio Awards: Best Networked Program in 2015 and Best Live Broadcast Crew in 2016 and 2017.
Sheargold retired for a solo post on The Marty Sheargold Show on Triple M in 2020.
In the most recent poll, the audience for Kate, Tim and Joel in Sydney increased by 0.4 percentage points, for a total of 9.7 percent.
The show placed third behind Byron Webb on Smooth FM (10%) and Will and Woody on KIIS (10.7%).
Daily Mail Australia reached out to Ritchie’s representatives for comment.
Source: Daily Mail
Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
