Not guilty pleas over US tourist’s death

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A woman charged with dangerous driving causing the death of an American tourist near Te Karaka last year can now be named.

Myrtle Talya Heaven-Leigh Arnie Whatarau-Te Puni, 26, previously had interim name suppression but it expired with her appearance in Gisborne District Court on Monday.

Counsel Heather Vaughn told Judge Warren Cathcart that the order would not be further pursued.

Whatarau-Te Puni pleaded not guilty to three charges — dangerous driving causing the death of  Nicholas Simon and two counts of dangerous driving causing injury to each of their passengers.

She elected a judge-alone trial and was further remanded on bail for a case review hearing on June 26.

Mr Simon, from Colorado, was in New Zealand for a “dream holiday” with his girlfriend when he died on October 27 last year.

The vehicle being driven by Whatarau-Te Puni collided with the one Mr Simon was driving on State Highway 2 (Matawai Road) at Te Karaka.

Whatarau-Te Puni and her passenger were travelling from Matawai to Ruatoria.