Jesse Daniel McLennan: Bornholm fatal accused pleads not guilty despite limited memory of early morning crash

A Little Grove man says he will fight charges that his driving caused the death of a 34-year-old Italian woman earlier this year, despite his lawyer revealing he doesn’t entirely recall the incident due to concussion. Jesse Daniel McLennan, 28, pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing death in Albany Magistrates Court on Thursday. The charge relates to a fatal crash when two cars collided in Bornholm in April. Mr McLennan previously indicated a guilty plea to a related charge that alleged he had an excess of 0.08 blood alcohol in his system at the time of the offence. Defence lawyer Lisa Riley initially told the court that her client was not yet prepared to enter a plea to the dangerous driving charge, because she had not received all the relevant information regarding the April 10 crash from police prosecution. However, Mr McLennan instructed his lawyer to enter a not guilty plea after being urged by magistrate Erin O’Donnell to move the matter along and not adjourn further. When prompted by Ms O’Donnell, who said that “surely” Mr McLennan had “some indication” whether he had driven dangerously on the occasion, Ms Riley revealed that Mr McLennan had limited recollection of the incident due to concussion. Mr McLennan is alleged to have been driving a silver LandCruiser on Lower Denmark Road in Bornholm, about 30km west of Albany, about 4.10am on April 10 when his vehicle and a white LandCruiser, driven by 34-year-old Ludovica Piscicelli, collided. Ms Piscicelli was an Italian expat who was living in Denmark on a working holiday visa. Emergency services were called about 4.20am but Ms Piscicelli died at the scene from her injuries. She was on her way to work at a dairy farm in Torbay when she died. Mr McLennan will next appear in Albany District Court on February 4, 2026 for a trial listing hearing.