Elderly driver pleads guilty over mobility scooter fatality

File photo / NZ Herald

An elderly driver has pleaded guilty to causing the death of an 82-year-old on a mobility scooter in Auckland earlier this year.

Chan Chor Wu, 87, appeared in Manukau District Court yesterday where he admitted operating a vehicle carelessly and thereby causing the death of Romanian man Octavian Stefanescu on the afternoon of April 18.

The officer in charge of the case, Constable Andre Taylor, said Mr Stefanescu was crossing Union Rd in Howick on a motorised mobility scooter when he was struck by a car being driven by Wu.

"[Mr Stefanescu was] able to be seen: he had a high-vis flag on and numerous witnesses saw him crossing the road, but unfortunately Mr Wu has not seen him until it was too late."

There were no pedestrian crossings on Union Rd, Mr Taylor said.

Mr Stefanescu banged his head on the road and was taken to Middlemore Hospital.

He died a few days later as a result of a medical condition which had been complicated by his injuries, Mr Taylor said.

Wu was remanded at large until his sentencing next month.