Dodds was “well over” the drink-drive limit after visiting a nightclub in Whitley Bay when she took the fateful decision to drive her mum's small car with seven people crammed inside to head to a house party.
With music blaring, one man in the boot and Truman hanging out of the window, Dodds lost control of the overloaded vehicle while driving too fast.
After clipping a kerb and hitting a lamppost on the A191 near North Tyneside General Hospital, the car flipped and crushed 22-year-old Truman.
Dodds had admitted causing his death by careless driving while over the drink-drive limit but now jurors have found her guilty of the more serious charge of causing death by dangerous driving.
Dodds, 25, of Links Avenue, Whitley Bay, who had been on bail, was remanded into custody after the guilty verdict and will be sentenced this morning.
Judge Roger Thomas said: “This is the stage where her bail comes to an end, I’m afraid.”
Dodds had been at work at a bar on the evening of Saturday, November 19, 2022, and after finishing work and getting changed, she headed to the Havana nightclub, in Whitley Bay, with her friend.
She drove there in her mum's Hyundai i10 and parked in an alley near the club.
She said the first person she saw at the club was Truman, who she had been in the same friendship group with when they were at Whitley Bay High School.
She gave him a hug and he introduced her to his girlfriend.
Dodds consumed alcohol in the club - she said two glasses of wine and two shots of tequila - and there came a point where a group of friends agreed to go back to one of their houses, in Shiremoor, to continue socialising.
She agreed to drive them and there ended up being one man in the front passenger seat, two men, including Truman, and two women in the back - one of the women was sitting on a man’s knee - and a man who is more than six feet tall climbed into the boot.
Dodds, who said she didn’t feel drunk despite being “well over” the limit, began the fateful journey and there was loud music playing in the car and people were singing along.
She denied prosecution claims of it being a “party” in the car.
As the car drove along the A191, near North Tyneside General Hospital, Truman filmed himself with his head out of the window in a clip played to the court.
Dodds then lost control of the car, hitting a kerb and lampp...
With music blaring, one man in the boot and Truman hanging out of the window, Dodds lost control of the overloaded vehicle while driving too fast.
After clipping a kerb and hitting a lamppost on the A191 near North Tyneside General Hospital, the car flipped and crushed 22-year-old Truman.
Dodds had admitted causing his death by careless driving while over the drink-drive limit but now jurors have found her guilty of the more serious charge of causing death by dangerous driving.
Dodds, 25, of Links Avenue, Whitley Bay, who had been on bail, was remanded into custody after the guilty verdict and will be sentenced this morning.
Judge Roger Thomas said: “This is the stage where her bail comes to an end, I’m afraid.”
Dodds had been at work at a bar on the evening of Saturday, November 19, 2022, and after finishing work and getting changed, she headed to the Havana nightclub, in Whitley Bay, with her friend.
She drove there in her mum's Hyundai i10 and parked in an alley near the club.
She said the first person she saw at the club was Truman, who she had been in the same friendship group with when they were at Whitley Bay High School.
She gave him a hug and he introduced her to his girlfriend.
Dodds consumed alcohol in the club - she said two glasses of wine and two shots of tequila - and there came a point where a group of friends agreed to go back to one of their houses, in Shiremoor, to continue socialising.
She agreed to drive them and there ended up being one man in the front passenger seat, two men, including Truman, and two women in the back - one of the women was sitting on a man’s knee - and a man who is more than six feet tall climbed into the boot.
Dodds, who said she didn’t feel drunk despite being “well over” the limit, began the fateful journey and there was loud music playing in the car and people were singing along.
She denied prosecution claims of it being a “party” in the car.
As the car drove along the A191, near North Tyneside General Hospital, Truman filmed himself with his head out of the window in a clip played to the court.
Dodds then lost control of the car, hitting a kerb and lampp...
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The Chronicle (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 21, 2025