Fatal crash driver pleads guilty

File photo / NZH

Two weeks after losing his licence for the third time, Karl Robinson drove his Holden V8 at speed into the back of another vehicle, killing his friend and a six-month-old baby girl.

Conservative estimates put the 23-year-old Kawerau man's speed at 212km/h before the April crash which left four people injured and claimed the lives of Fraser Nathan and baby Kalaisha Hale.

Robinson, who has no recollection of the accident and is in a wheelchair, pleaded guilty in Whakatane District Court this week to five charges of driving dangerously causing death or injury, and another of driving while suspended.

He will be sentenced on November 17.

The accident happened about 7.20pm on April 3 as Robinson and his two passengers were travelling on State Highway 34 near Kawerau.

Robinson, whose licence had been suspended in March for three months after he accumulated excess demerit points, had just overtaken a vehicle and accelerated up behind a Toyota flat deck.

He pulled out to overtake the ute but was forced back by an oncoming vehicle.

In attempting to pull in, he struck the back of the ute, shunting it off the road and causing it to roll.

Police prosecutor Constable Chris Howard said the ute's driver, who suffered a broken leg and bruising, was found hanging upside down in the vehicle by her seatbelt.

Her partner appeared to have been thrown out during the rollover, suffering serious injuries including broken ribs, a collapsed lung, a fractured neck and back injuries.

Baby Kalaisha was found unconscious and still restrained in her car seat.

She never regained consciousness and died in Auckland's Starship Hospital the next day.

Mr Howard said the impact sent Robinson's Clubsport into the air and across the road into the path of another vehicle.

It crashed into a concrete power pole, smashing it, and travelled another 32 metres before coming to rest on its roof and almost instantly bursting into flames.

The rear seat passenger was thrown from the vehicle, suffering serious injuries.

Mr Nathan was restrained in the front seat and could not be saved from the car as it burned.

Robinson was pulled from the wreckage by members of the public who stopped to help, one of whom sustained an extensive burn to his arm during the rescue.

Robinson was hospitalised with serious injuries and, according to his lawyer Roger Gowing, is still in rehabilitation, requiring daily oxygen.

- NZPA