Teen driver's 'massive sorry' for killing best friend

Jessica Law. Photo / Supplied

A schoolgirl driver has spoken of her sorrow at killing one of her best friends and seriously injuring another in a 125km/h head-on crash.

Josephine Clay had just three hours' driving experience when she lost control of a Nissan Pulsar on a rural road near her Queenstown home and hit a Mercedes on New Year's Day - two weeks after passing her learner's licence.

The 16-year-old had been behind the wheel for just 610m.

Backseat passenger Jessica Law, 16, was killed instantly. Jesse Boulay, who had been driving earlier, suffered severe brain injuries and is still in Dunedin Hospital.

Josephine was this week sentenced to 650 hours of community service, banned from driving for four years and placed under 12 months' supervision. It followed convictions for one charge of dangerous driving causing death and four charges of dangerous driving causing injury.

Speaking about the incident for the first time, she said she wanted to apologise to the Boulay and Law families.

"I don't really have words ... just a massive sorry," she said.

Josephine's mother, Liz, said things had been "really hard" since the crash and wanted the Boulay and Law families to know she was hurting for them.

"I just want to say ... I might not look like I'm sorry, but I am. We've had a loss through this but they've lost a family member. We hope that the other families can heal after this [sentencing]. I don't know how they will, but hopefully they can."

Josephine was reluctant to talk about her sentence and said she did not remember the crash, which left her with a punctured lung.

"I just took it. You're responsible for your own actions and that's the consequences."

But she wanted other young, inexperienced drivers to think twice before taking the wheel.

"Kids, teenagers are going out there getting their learners' [licence] at such a young age and they're so keen to drive - but they should think before they act. For anything, not just driving - any situation."

At sentencing Judge Stephen O'Driscoll said he could not send Josephine to prison because of her age but he had to "denounce" her conduct, "protect the public" and "set the consequence".

On the day of the crash, Josephine and Jessica ate takeaways in Queenstown and talked about how they spent New Year's Eve. They planned to stay at Jessica's house that night. After lunch they met Jesse, who offered to drive them to Jessica's. He got his restricted licence on December 1.

When they left Josephine's house, Jesse was driving and Jessica was in the front seat.

The police summary of facts says Jesse asked Josephine if she wanted to drive when they left urban Queenstown. She said yes and after Jesse pulled over Jessica got into the back seat.

At about 4.30pm Josephine drove down Littles Rd, heading for Jessica's house, 2.4km away.

Josephine had travelled only 610m when she crashed at 125km/h in an 80km/h area.

She lost control on a bend, crossed the centre line and slid for about 50m before slamming into a Mercedes.

The other car was driven by a neighbour of Jessica's parents, Jacqueline Davies, who had her two young children in the car.

The Nissan rolled.

Three off-duty doctors found Jessica dead, Jesse unconscious and Josephine trapped in the driver's seat.

Jesse was pulled free by bystanders. Josephine was cut free by a fire rescue crew.

Davies suffered bruising and her children cuts and swelling to their eyes and face.

Josephine said: "They were innocent ... I am so sorry they had to be in that situation."

Jessica's father, Maxwell, attended the sentencing and said his family were "comfortable" with the judge's decision. Jesse's mother, Karen, is understood to be spending most of her time with Jesse in Dunedin. The police summary said as of March 17, Jesse had "very limited neurological response" and hopes for recovery could not be assessed.

After sentencing, Jesse's sister Danika wrote on Facebook: "Danika Boulay and Karen would like to share how much we appreciate everyone's support and acknowledge their feelings of sorrow and loss.

"Now the court case is over we can all move on ... and we hope to do this with happy memories and not feelings of anger and blame.

"Let's all look after ... each other and value relationships that have grown stronger. Life is too short."


anna.leask@hos.co.nz