An Upper Hutt man who crossed the centre road line at high speed, resulting in a head-on crash, had lost a close friend through suicide two days earlier and had not slept for 48 hours.
Darryl Mark Wratt, 30, unemployed, pleaded guilty in the Upper Hutt District Court on Monday to a charge of aggravated careless use of a motor vehicle after the accident last November.
He is also charged with burglary, unlawful taking and possession of methamphetamine, to which he has pleaded not guilty. He will go to trial on those charges on May 3.
Prosecuting, Sergeant Neill Ford said Wratt was driving from Wellington to Upper Hutt about 7.30am on November 5. After passing the Melling Bridge, he started overtaking people at high speed and cutting in front of other motorists. He veered between lanes several times. Witnesses estimated Wratt was travelling about 140kmh.
Just past the Silverstream turnoff, Wratt crossed the centre line into oncoming traffic. He swerved away but struck, almost head-on, an oncoming car, resulting "in an explosion of debris".
Both Wratt and the driver of the other car were trapped and later admitted to hospital. There was a lengthy disruption to traffic and the driver of the other car suffered serious injuries that Mr Ford said were regarded as long term or permanent.
Defence counsel Robert Stevens said blood tests at the hospital showed Wratt had no drugs in his blood, but he was not in a fit state to drive.
"The defendant had lost a very close personal friend to suicide two days before. He shouldn't have driven at that time, he hadn't slept for two days and wasn't fit to drive."
Judge Chris Tuohy said Wratt faced a very serious charge. The accident had almost destroyed the life of the other driver. Wratt will be sentenced in Wellington District Court on May 31.
- NZPA
Crash after driver lost friend to suicide
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