A victim of a fatal hit-and-run begged surgeons to amputate her leg because of the excruciating pain in the days after the accident, a court has heard.
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Ashlee Bumpus, then 25, suffered multiple fractures to her lower limbs when a stolen car, driven by Justin Monfries, ploughed into her and work colleague Linda Cox as they crossed the road outside the Canberra Hospital after finishing a nursing shift in May last year.
Mrs Cox, a 38-year-old mother of two, died instantly.
Monfries kept driving, but crashed about 150 metres down the road and was arrested by police.
The 25-year-old, of Kambah, has pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing death, culpable driving causing grievous bodily harm, and car theft.
The defendant sat with his head bowed as Ms Bumpus and Mrs Cox's husband, Jamie, read victim impact statements at an ACT Supreme Court sentencing hearing on Tuesday.
Ms Bumpus spent almost three months in a wheelchair and underwent four operations, with more likely after the accident.
She told a packed courtroom she suffered such immense nerve pain after one procedure - likening it to feeling her leg was being crushed under a concrete block - she pleaded with surgeons to cut it off.
The former A-grade netballer still suffers from guilt that she survived and her friend and mentor, Mrs Cox, who was only metres behind her, was killed.
She still has trouble crossing the road, has nightmares and suffers feelings of impending doom.
"I didn't do anything wrong, yet I've got to suffer the consequences," Ms Bumpus said.
Mr Cox told the court he was haunted by his last conversation with his wife, where he had told her he was busy at work and would speak to her later.
He said he had been living in a private hell since, had lost interest in life and was filled with hate.
"[Monfries] took away my future and my soulmate. Sometimes it's hard to put one foot in front of the other," Mr Cox said.
"The hate I feel is enormous. I want justice for Linda and our children."
The author of a pre-sentence report told the court that Monfries admitted consuming 15 to 20 alcoholic drinks, smoking cannabis and taking a double dose of his anti-depressant medication on the day of the hit-and-run.
He had gone to Manuka with his girlfriend to do some shopping, but was left there and decided to steal a Toyota Camry station wagon from an underground car park to get home.
He drove to Hughes where he crashed into another vehicle at an intersection, but drove from the scene.
Police spotted the car soon after and briefly turned on their emergency lights but did not instigate a pursuit.
Monfries saw the patrol car and sped away, reaching speeds of 118km/h in a 60km/h zone.
The defendant says he then ''blacked out'' and had no memory of the fatal accident.
Monfries told the report author he was sorry for the accident and felt like "I'm the scum of the earth and don't deserve to live".
But the author said Monfries also attempted to reduce his culpability by portraying himself as a rejected outsider.
The Crown said Monfries had previously been involved in police pursuits and was on bail at the time of the offence.
Justice John Nield will hand down his sentence later this month.