A Gonville man responsible for a fatal car accident near Waitotara earlier this year will be sentenced in September and could face jail.
With the help of a translator, Dasheng Chen pleaded guilty in May to careless driving causing death and careless driving causing injury after his car crossed the centre line and crashed into an oncoming vehicle on February 16.
Chen was approaching a left-hand corner on State Highway 3 when he crossed into the path of Shauna Leitch's car.
"The impact caused both vehicles to spin and come to a halt on opposite sides of the highway with both vehicles extensively damaged," the police summary said.
Mrs Leitch, 55, of Whangarei, died at the scene and her husband, Bruce Leitch, 59, who was in the passenger seat, suffered a broken knee.
Chen hobbled into Whanganui District Court court on Tuesday, still recovering from serious pelvic injuries received in the crash. He had been unable to return to work at a local bakery and had been on ACC since the accident.
Chen, who attended a Restorative Justice conference with a victim, was appearing for sentence, but a pre-sentence report had not been ordered and Judge David Cameron did not want to sentence him without one.
"I'm very unhappy about proceeding without a pre-sentence report, and the reason is that my tentative view is that the options open to the court without a pre-sentence report are too limited and that this is too serious," Judge Cameron said.
"When I said to [defence lawyer Jamie Waugh] all options are open, including imprisonment, I meant that. I don't have enough facts to simply judge that matter at the moment."
He wanted to know how far Chen had crossed the centre line before colliding with the other car, how long he has had his licence, whether he was a New Zealand citizen, and other relevant information. "I'm keen to pursue all the facts ... It's all very well for the victim to say he doesn't want him jailed, but I've got the community at large to protect in these situations. I'm not saying jail is inevitable at all, but it's certainly an option I would be considering ... I mean, he's killed someone through his carelessness."
Police prosecutor Sergeant Stephen Butler said it appeared from the crash scene photos the collision happened near the middle of the road. "I don't think anyone actually knows why the vehicle crossed the centre line," Mr Butler said.
Mr Waugh said Chen had lived in New Zealand for 20 years and has two children in university here.
Restorative Justice co-ordinator Sue Anderson said Chen was licensed to drive.
Chen was remanded at large until sentencing on September 14. A pre-sentence report was ordered.