The wreckage and the tree after the fatal street-racing crash near Meeanee on the night of February 19, 2013. Photo / File
The wreckage and the tree after the fatal street-racing crash near Meeanee on the night of February 19, 2013. Photo / File
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal against the jailing of a street racer who was at the wheel when a rival car hit a tree in a fatal crash on the outskirts of Napier more than two years ago.
Judges decided there were no grounds for relaxing MatthewKevin O'Sullivan's sentence of three years and six months jail and a four-year driving disqualification on charges of causing death and injury.
O'Sullivan, aged 19 at the time of the tragedy, had been found guilty at a trial in August last year, after denying the charges relating to the death of 18-year-old Maree Schafer and injuries to others when the second vehicle hit a tree in Sandy Rd, Meeanee, on February 19, 2013.
O'Sullivan told a probation officer he would not admit responsibility, because he was not the driver of the vehicle which crashed. Due to start a hairdressing course at EIT the day after her death, Miss Schafer was a rear-seat passenger in a Holden Commodore which was driven by Brandon Lawrence, one of three others sent to jail in a historic first prosecution of its type under the Sentencing (Vehicle Confiscation) Amendment Act and the Land Transport (Enforcement Powers) Act.
Lawrence had lost control and slammed into a tree just after passing through the Meeanee Rd intersection in a race which was estimated to have reached speeds of more than 180km/h on Sandy Rd, Meeanee.
The driver of a Ford Falcon that was drag racing the Commodore, O'Sullivan had said he braked and slowed down, well ahead of the intersection, which was the designated finish line.
"I'm not a drag racer, it's the first time I've ever done anything like this," he said in a police interview.
"I hope someone learns from this and doesn't make the same mistakes we did."
