The worst of the weather is over, more Kiwis turning to methamphetamine and Drs are back at the negotiating table.
Christchurch woman Dante Aorangi, 20, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of British tourist Joseph Snode.
Aorangi was sentenced to three months’ community detention and ordered to pay $5000 in reparation at $20 a week.
Snode’s family expressed horror at the sentence, emphasising their ongoing grief and loss.
The young driver responsible for a crash that killed British tourist Joseph Snode, who was in New Zealand on a “dream trip” visiting The Lord of the Rings filming locations, had obtained her learner’s licence just 79 days earlier.
Dante Aorangi, 20, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving causing death but told the court she had “no recollection” of the fatal incident.
In February, she was sentenced to three months’ community detention, ordered to pay Snode’s family $5000 at $20 a week and disqualified from driving for a year.
The sentence has “horrified” Snode’s mother, Elaine, who spoke to the Herald this week.
“As you can imagine, Joseph being killed has completely changed our lives and brought a darkness to our future,” she said.
“On January 28 2024, our world imploded and will never be the same. We struggle each day to face it without Joseph.
“He was such a light in our family and to his many friends. He was living his dream, he’d fallen in love and made plans for his future. He had everything to live for, and so many people miss him.”
Joseph Snode. Photo / Supplied
Court documents released to the Herald reveal that Aorangi was issued a learner’s licence on November 10, 2023.
On the day of the crash, she left Karamea on the West Coast about 9am. She was driving. Her stepmother and another relative were passengers.
Aorangi was heading to Lyttelton in Christchurch.
About 20 minutes out of Greymouth, she saw Snode hitchhiking and offered him a ride.
About 3.35pm, she approached the historic tavern at Jacksons.
Aorangi was “negotiating a very slight right curve in the road, but failed to follow the slight curvature”.
Her left wheels drifted into loose gravel on the side of the road.
She overcorrected, causing the vehicle to rotate and slide across both lanes and into a stone wall outside the historic Jackson Tavern.
Snode died at the scene.
Aorangi told police she could not remember the crash.
“The curve where this all happened was a relatively mild curve, and there were no weather or other factors at play which seem to be able to explain this loss of control,” said Judge David Ruth, who sentenced Aorangi in the Christchurch District Court.
“It seems that there will not be any explanation as to how this happened … how this all happened remains something of a mystery.
“Apart from the obvious fact that your control of this vehicle was lost, there is nothing else that assists me to know just where the fault in this driving exercise can really be sheeted home to.
“What is obvious, of course, is the catastrophic outcome to the victim here.”
Joseph Snode was on his dream trip to visit The Lord of the Rings filming locations. Photo / Supplied
Judge Ruth noted Aorangi was accompanied by an appropriately licensed driver and cellphone use “was not related to this event”.
A pre-sentence report stated Aorangi was remorseful and had expressed how devastated she felt and that she could not comprehend what Snode’s family were going through.
She said she would “do anything to change the outcome” and acknowledged that no sentence handed down to her “could ever be remotely equivalent to the loss of a life”.
Aorangi was facing up to three months in prison for her offending.
But after considering all of the information before him about Aorangi, including a recent ADHD diagnosis, Judge Ruth sentenced her to three months’ community detention.
He imposed a curfew from 7pm until 7am and ordered the defendant to pay $5000 in reparation for emotional harm.
He said Aorangi could pay the amount at $20 a week over five years.
Joseph Snode had been working for four years to save up money for his travels. Photo / Supplied
Aorangi initially sought a discharge without conviction but abandoned the application before sentencing.
The Snode family were “relieved” Aorangi pleaded guilty, sparing them the ordeal of a trial, but felt the discharge application “belittled what had happened to Joseph”.
Elaine Snode and her husband attended the sentencing via video call.
“During the sentencing, we were mortified to learn that Dante had been stopped by police in October 2024 … for driving a car without L plates or a supervisor and whilst using her phone,” she said.
“How could she show so little respect or remorse after causing Joseph’s death a few months earlier?
“To say we were angry and upset is an understatement. It proved she had no respect for Joseph, us, herself or anyone else.”
Elaine Snode said sentencing was “extremely stressful and painful”.
“We were horrified to find out the maximum she was given was three months’ community detention,” she said.
“As a family, we decided that although we and all those who knew Joseph thought he deserved more, we would accept it and try to move on. We all make mistakes, and we hoped that Dante had learned that her actions have consequences and that she was remorseful for what had happened.”
British tourist Joseph Snode died in a car crash on the Otira Highway in January last year. Picture / Supplied
https://www.gofundme.com/f/for-joseph-snodes-funeral-and-memorial-send-off
Soon after, the British Coroner’s officer contacted the Snodes to tell them Aorangi had appealed her sentence.
Elaine Snode said it felt like the offender was “twisting the knife” and making the family’s journey “as painful as possible”.
“Thankfully … her case was dismissed at the appeal hearing. All she had achieved was to upset us.”
Elaine Snode wanted to acknowledge the police, coroner and lawyers who helped them in New Zealand.
“They have shown us and Joseph great respect and kindness,” she said.
“I was informed by the police that a lady who was passing by had kindly sat with Joseph whilst the ambulance crew were on scene.
“I would love to thank that lady personally, as the thought of my boy being alone at that time would have been so painful. Her kindness means so much.
“We would like to thank also all the New Zealand people who sent us messages of support and love at the time of Joseph’s death. It helped us through a terrible time and reminded us that there are people who care.”
The grieving mother was also grateful to the insurance company that repatriated her son’s body.
“It was agonising waiting for him to be brought home so we could say goodbye,” she said.
“Due to the time it took, I was unable to see Joseph’s body and kiss him goodbye.
“Despite all the pain and stress to come from this awful event, we as a family plan to visit New Zealand sometime in the near future and visit Hobbiton and the other places Joseph experienced – and also finish his journey.
“We, of course, will visit the spot [where] he lost his life and lay some yellow flowers for him and remember what a wonderful, loving, caring person he was.”
Elaine Snode said her son was “having the time of his life” in New Zealand.
“He had worked hard for four years to get together money to be able to go travelling and take wildlife photos and document his journey around the world,” she said.
“New Zealand was a highlight as we are all LOTR fans, and Joseph was thrilled to visit Hobbiton and other areas used in the films during his stay.
“He had a wonderful week camping and hiking, and then was making his way to Christchurch, when he was picked up by Dante.
“He had messaged us to say he would phone us later to update us on his wonderful time. We never got that call.”
Anna Leask is a senior journalist who covers national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 19 years with a particular focus on family and gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicides, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on nzherald.co.nz
