A judge has slammed a man's dangerous driving which caused an accident in Taupo.
A judge has slammed a man's dangerous driving which caused an accident in Taupo.
A man who caused a crash near Taupo earlier this year in which a local father of two was seriously injured has been sentenced to home detention and disqualified from driving.
Alistair Steele, 65, of Taupo, appeared in the Taupo District Court yesterday for sentencing on two charges of aggravatedcareless driving causing injury after the crash on the East Taupo Arterial highway on January 19.
The crash was unusual in that Steele's vehicle was not involved, but police said that Steele caused it when his car moved into the path of a Mitsubishi driven by Paul Delamare. Mr Delamare swerved, then overcorrected and his vehicle rolled. Mr Delamare, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown through the windscreen and sustained serious head injuries. He still requires ongoing care and rehabilitation. His partner, Ashalee Jane Waikari, suffered a broken neck and severe head lacerations. The couple's two children, aged 6 and 1, were both in carseats and suffered minor injuries.
Miss Waikari's mother told the court that Mr Delamare, 25, was now virtually at a 3-year-old's level, although the family had hope for his future. But it was hard for her daughter, who was without her partner, her grandson, who missed the time he spent with his dad, and her granddaughter, who was beginning to not know who her dad was any more.
Steele's lawyer, Phil Clarke, said Steele was extremely remorseful, had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, had participated in a restorative justice conference and had no previous driving convictions. He asked he be given home detention.
Judge Chris McGuire told the court Steele had been travelling along Centennial Drive in Taupo when his Ford Falcon was overtaken by the Mitsubishi, which he felt had cut in front of him.
Once in the merge lane, Steele began an overtaking on the left-hand side of the Mitsubishi, and when the merge lane came to an end, he cut in front of it.
The Mitsubishi turned towards the centre line to avoid Steele's car, then overcorrected, causing the vehicle to roll.
Judge McGuire told Steele that during the course of the incident, Steele had had time to think about what he was doing, but he had pressed on with his course of action.
He also criticised the amount of time the police crash investigation team had taken to press charges.
"Over the years I've had growing unease at the amount of time that accident investigations take," the judge said.
"I know that in many cases all sorts of tests have to be done but it's difficult for someone in my position to accept that they take eight months, and that impacts on the whole process of justice."
Steele was sentenced to four months' home detention, ordered to pay reparation of $12,500 and disqualified from driving for two years.
