Man sentenced for causing fatal head-on crash

File photo / NZ Herald

A Queenstown man who admitted to causing a fatal head-on crash near Kaikoura has been sentenced to community detention.

Michael Andrews pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of 73-year-old David Orchard from the Kapiti Coast.

He was sentenced at the Hastings District Court today to four month' community detention and 18 month' disqualified driving.

The oil rig worker crossed the centre line on State Highway 1 north of Kaikoura in March and crashed head-on with a motorhome.

The motorhome driver, Mr Orchard, died in Wellington Hospital the following day.

Mr Andrews spent three weeks in a coma and suffered significant brain injuries.

A victim impact statement from Mr Orchard's widow Patricia said it was like part of her had been severed after her husband of 48 years was killed.