Pregnant drunk driver jailed for killing dancer

Tian was sentenced to two years and nine months. Photo / Dean Purcell

A drink-driver who sped at 134 km/h the wrong way on the motorway before killing an innocent motorist will go to prison pregnant and in a wheelchair.

As she heads to jail - five months after her 5km-long journey - the driver can now be revealed as 32-year-old Ying Tian, of Clendon Park.

Tian entered court in a wheelchair having suffered multiple leg fractures in the crash she caused, killing Karen Yong, 49.

She was later wheeled out into Corrections custody to begin her sentence of two years and nine months, having learned her fate through a Chinese interpreter.

Soon after 12.30am on May 30 Tian - who had more than double the legal blood alcohol limit - entered the Southern Motorway at the Mt Wellington off-ramp and drove 5km in the wrong direction, weaving in and out of oncoming traffic.

Ms Yong's mother, Marina Lee, told the court before sentencing: "Nobody can fathom the grief of a mother when her daughter is wrenched away from her.

"This grossly negligent driver needs to be punished, not just for the needless loss of my child, but to caution all other drivers to think through their actions."

Judge Sharon McAuslan described's Tian driving as "totally appalling" as she handed down her sentence at Manukau District Court yesterday.

Tian's apology letter to Karen Yong's family did little to soothe their anger at the "unnecessary" loss of their loved one.

Discounting various factors, including the fact Tian had recently married and was now pregnant, she said home detention was not an option.

It was revealed Tian's speed fluctuated between 28 km/h and 134 km/h, as she swerved across lanes and between vehicles.

It was thought about 20 cars managed to dodge her oncoming vehicle - including seven that had to take evasive action - before she struck Ms Yong. The competitive ceroc dancer suffered critical injuries and was placed on life support to allow her family in Kuala Lumpur time to reach her bedside before she died.

Last night, Ms Lee and Ms Yong's sister, Sharon Yong, who returned to New Zealand from Malaysia to see the drunk driver in court, spoke to the Herald at Karen Yong's Mt Wellington home.

They said they wished Tian's sentence had been harsher, to reflect the pain inflicted on them by her "irresponsible, mindless, negligent" actions.

"I felt she should have got a stiffer sentence," Sharon Yong said.

"It needs to be a strong enough message to the public."

An apology letter given to the family did little to soothe their anger at the "unnecessary" loss of their loved one.

"It was written as a means of lowering her sentence, that's how it felt to us."

Sharon Yong added: "It didn't seem sincere at all."

The family planned to take a few mementoes from Karen Yong's home with them, but they couldn't face boxing up her Kiwi life, they said.

"We'll take back her dancing medals," her mother said.