Man jailed for manslaughter of friend

Photo / File

A Nelson man has been jailed for more than six years and has been banned from driving for five years after his release after killing his friend in a car crash.

David Te Maari, a disqualified driver, earlier pleaded guilty in the High Court at Nelson to the manslaughter of Travis Russ and a charge of dangerous driving causing injury, the Nelson Mail reported.

A man in an oncoming vehicle was seriously injured in the crash on Main Road at Stoke, on April 16.

Crown prosecutor Mark O'Donoghue said Te Maari carried out a "drifting" manoeuvre, losing control of the vehicle and causing it to cross the centre line and into a stream of oncoming traffic.

Mr Russ, a front-seat passenger in the car, was killed almost instantly.

Justice Warwick Gendall said during the last year he had sentenced five young men for crimes of manslaughter while driving.

"They killed their friends and other innocent drivers. It is often just a lottery who and how many are killed," he said.

Te Maari, a 21-year-old roofer, already had multiple convictions for a range of offences, including a drink-drive conviction when he was 16.

In her victim impact statement Mr Russ' mother, Dee Stansbury, spoke of the dreadful dilemma of dealing with the aftermath of her son's death and the birth of his son several hours later.

"Travis never got to see his son as he was killed nine hours before his birth," she said.

Mr Russ' partner, Jessica Wagner, went into labour from the shock of hearing she had lost the man she described as the love of her life.

Defence lawyer Mark Dollimore said Te Maari, who was shocked by his friend's death and always would be, took full responsibility for what had happened.

Te Maari wanted to acknowledge the graciousness and dignity shown by Mr Russ' family and Miss Wagner.

"The public regularly hear the word remorseful and wonder how genuine they are, but David is, and the probation officer would endorse that," Mr Dollimore said.

Justice Gendall said Te Maari would serve the full term unless he could satisfy the parole board of an earlier release. He was also given a first warning of the three-strikes legislation.

- NZPA