Pongakawa crash: Supinderjit Singh charged over Amarjit Singh’s death

Supinderjit Singh appeared in the Tauranga Registrar's Court. Photo / NZME

A Te Puke man has been accused of causing the death of 25-year-old Amarjit Singh, who was found dead hours after allegedly being a passenger in a crash.

Supinderjit Singh, 40, faced charges of dangerous driving causing death and driving in a dangerous manner when he appeared in the Tauranga Registrar’s Court today.

Both offences were alleged to have been committed on Maniatutu Rd, Pongakawa, on June 3.

The charges were in relation to an alleged single-vehicle crash on the road that night, which police have previously said was not reported to them at the time.

The next morning, a man police described as a passenger in the vehicle was found dead at his Te Puke home.

Court documents show Supinderjit Singh was accused of driving in a manner which, having regard to all the circumstances, was “dangerous to the public and thereby caused Mr [Amarjit] Singh’s death”.

The second charge relates to an allegation that, after the crash, the defendant drove another vehicle in a dangerous manner on the same road.

The maximum penalty for the first charge is 10 years in prison, and/or a $20,000 fine. For the second charge, it is three months in prison and/or a $4500 fine.

Lawyer Shevaun Price, acting for the defendant’s legal counsel Rachael Adams, successfully sought a four-week remand period without pleas being entered.

Price told the court registrar she needed that time to obtain CCTV footage and extensive further disclosure materials from the police.

The registrar remanded the defendant on bail to reappear in the same court on July 14.

Bail conditions included a nightly curfew and bans on driving, consuming alcohol, applying for any travel documents or visiting any international airport.

The accused was also banned from having any contact with the deceased’s family and must submit to a breath-screening test on the request of police.

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.