KEY POINTS:
A young farm worker whose drink-text-driving cost an elderly Ashburton couple their lives is mentally preparing himself for the possibility of a prison sentence.
Beverley Dawn Keating and Samuel Haslett Keating had been returning home from their 49th wedding anniversary celebration when their lives were tragically cut short
by Robert Stonestreet.
The 19-year-old Ashburton dairy worker had been so preoccupied with texting friends he had failed to notice a stop sign, ploughing his vehicle into the Keating's late model Mercedes.
Stonestreet was later found to be more than twice over the youth drink-drive limit.
Last week - nearly four months after the horror crash - Stonestreet fronted in court to admit two counts of dangerous driving causing death. He was remanded on bail until March 11 for sentencing.
The case has again highlighted the potentially deadly perils of texting and driving - and sparked renewed calls for the Government to follow the lead of other countries in banning the practice. Using a cellphone while driving is banned in 35 countries, but New Zealand has shied away from such a move, claiming one issue would be the difficulty with enforcement.
Since 1995 "cellphone distraction" has contributed to 446 vehicle crashes, 34 of which were fatal.
Stonestreet would not speak to the Herald on Sunday yesterday, but his grandmother, Ann Stonestreet, said the accident had been a nightmare for the once fun-loving teenager.
Her grandson was aware he could end up going to prison and he was preparing himself as best he could for that, she said. "That is tough for a kid his age to deal with. He has all our love and support, but he's going through hell right now."
While she didn't want to downplay the seriousness of what had happened, she stressed there was nothing callous or sinister in Stonestreet's actions that night. He had made a couple of silly decisions, which he had paid dearly for.
"He is extremely remorseful about what has happened. Robert wouldn't hurt a fly. He is absolutely dumbfounded by this," Ann Stonestreet said. "He has really gone into his shell since the accident. Robert's so reserved and quiet now. He knows he'll be living with this tragedy for the rest of his life.
"He's a good kid. This could have happened to anyone."
Although Stonestreet was given permission by the court to continue driving up until sentencing, his grandmother said he would have real difficulty getting behind the wheel again. Police also still had possession of Stonestreet's Toyota Hilux.
Gary McIntyre of the Ashburton police said he was reluctant to comment about the specifics of the case until after sentencing but added the case was "dreadfully tragic".
The Keating family bore no animosity toward Stonestreet, but did want lessons learned over driving and texting, he said.
Stonestreet's lawyer, James Rapley, told the Herald on Sunday his client was extremely remorseful and had even written to the Keating family to express that.
A friend of Stonestreet's said he was a "real country boy" and not a boy racer in any sense of the word. "He's a normal lad, not a hoon - just a good country boy."
