Hamilton street racer avoids conviction after injuring spectator during burnout

The intersection of Horotiu Bridge Rd and Great South Rd, south of Ngāruawāhia, is a popular spot among boy racers. Photo / Google

A street racer whose swinging car whacked a spectator, injuring him, has escaped a conviction and will keep his name permanently secret.

It was the fact the 20-year-old handed himself in the next day, and had been forgiven by the victim, that helped persuade Judge Arthur Tompkins to grant a discharge without conviction and award permanent name suppression in the Hamilton District Court today.

The Hamilton man was facing charges of sustained loss of traction and failing to ascertain injury after the incident during the early hours of May 25 this year at Horotiu.

Judge Tompkins disqualified him from driving for 12 months and ordered him to pay the victim $500 emotional harm reparation.

‘He was launched into the air’

Late on May 24, this year, the man was with a group of other illegal street racers in and around Hamilton, doing skids with modified vehicles.

Police were called to Airport Rd about 11pm, where about 300 cars had gathered and about 20 were doing burnouts.

The group eventually dispersed.

Shortly after midnight, the man was doing a skid on Horotiu Bridge Rd when one onlooker misjudged the movement of his vehicle and was struck.

He was launched into the air before landing heavily on the road.

Initially, the man was unaware he’d hit anyone but after finding out, he fled the scene.

The next day, he handed himself in to police.

‘He’s a talented young man’

In pushing for both the discharge and suppression, the man’s counsel, Alex Williams, said her client had not only completed the Right Track programme, but also the Street Smart defensive driving course, a first aid course and gained his forklift driver’s licence.

His employer had also written a letter of support but hadn’t confirmed if he’d keep his job if he lost his application.

“He’s someone who’s obviously a valued employee,” Williams said.

“[The client’s] concern is more based on any future employment.”

He was “very good with cars”, she said.

“He’s good at breaking them down and putting them back together.

“He’s a talented young man.”

He knew that he would be disqualified from driving and was prepared to pay emotional harm reparation.

As for the crash, she said the victim – who was an acquaintance of the defendant had walked into the path of the swinging car, and her client didn’t realise at the time that he’d hit anyone.

However, when he did realise, “he did the wrong thing and left”.

Judge Tompkins said, given the speed with which the defendant handed himself in, the supportive attitude of the victim, the rehabilitative courses he’d completed and the likelihood of a conviction being detrimental to his future, he agreed to grant both applications.

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for 10 years and has been a journalist for 21.