Salesman admits blame for pile-up

TRAPPED: Emergency crews extract a man from his car at the scene of a three-car crash at Waingawa just before Christmas. PHOTO/FILE

"Distracted by an impatient driver" Wesley Gary Johnson slammed his work car into the rear of a Subaru with a toddler inside, "flipping" the station wagon into the air and into the path of a car travelling in the opposite direction.

The driver of the Subaru, Kyle Karaitiana, said at the time he was lucky to have walked away unscathed.

At the time police said Mr Karaitiana's passenger's 3-year-old son, Cooper Grant, who was strapped in a car seat only received moderate injuries because he was restrained adequately. The toddler's father Lucas Grant, was trapped and had to be cut free.

The driver of the other car also had to be cut free and taken to hospital with serious leg injuries.

Johnson hadn't seen the car waiting to turn right in the middle of the 100km/h zone, just before a passing lane.

Appearing before Judge Peter Hobbs in Masterton District Court this week, the 31-year-old sales representative pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving.

The accident happened two days before Christmas, December 23, last year on State Highway 2, just south of Masterton at the Norman Ave turn off at Waingawa.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Jodie Lawrence said Johnson crashed into the Subaru as the driver waited to turn right into Norman Ave, hurling the Subaru into oncoming traffic.

The driver of the oncoming vehicle had to be "extracted" from the car and spent four days in hospital after surgery on his legs, Ms Lawrence said.

When interviewed by police, Johnson stated he didn't remember seeing the car, she said.

Defence lawyer Louise Elder submitted the Subaru's driver should have pulled to the left of the road and waited for other highway traffic to pass before turning right.

"They did not."

Her client was concerned about the "tail-gating" of a following car which distracted him, Ms Elder said.

"The car was impatient behind him."

"It's a situation where possible special reasons might exist."

Judge Hobbs convicted Johnson, remanding him at large for an emotional harm report to be completed and sentencing on July 22.