Three teenage men were today charged jointly with the manslaughter of Amy Edward-Mintorn, the 23-year-old woman struck down and killed in a central Wellington street 11 days ago.
She died in a reported hit-and-run incident, apparently involving boy racers on multi-lane Cambridge Terrace at 1.40am on August 20.
Ms Edward-Mintorn was crossing the road and talking on her cell phone when she was hit.
Following her death police seized three cars thought to be racing away from traffic lights at the time the young woman was hit.
In Wellington District Court today a 19-year-old from the outer Wellington suburb of Grenada, and two 18-year-olds living in Upper Hutt were charged over the woman's death and remanded on bail without plea until September 13.
Two of the three were granted name suppression until 3.30pm tomorrow. The third was given suppression until September 13 so that his grandmother could be notified.
Judge Bridget MacKintosh set strict bail conditions.
She told the young men they were not to enter Wellington city, south of Ngauranga Gorge, unless working or visiting lawyers.
They were ordered not to associate with what the judge described as "a whole list of people". The trio must also report to police twice a week.
The charges followed days of forensic investigations and witness interviews into the hit-and-run death.
Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Cotter, Wellington CIB, said outside the court the charges reflected the seriousness of the fatal crash.
"Our inquiry has put the spotlight on the boy-racer culture in the central city and the unnecessary exhibition of acceleration, particularly at intersections," he said.
"I can't go into detailed comment because the case is now before the court except to say that the two 18-year-olds, drivers of the vehicles which did not hit Amy, have been charged as parties to the offence committed by the 19-year-old."
The victim's family and close friends had been advised of the arrests.
- NZPA
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