Plea delay for expert opinion in driving death case
Pleas have been delayed for a visiting driver charged with causing a death and injuries, while a defence expert considers the police evidence.
Defence counsel Miranda Rout assured Christchurch District Court Judge Tony Couch that pleas would be entered at the driver’s next appearance on December 2.
She had requested a further two-week remand for the police to provide further disclosure – the details of the case – so that it could be considered by a defence expert witness.
“Unfortunately, it’s been slow coming from the police,” she said.
Judge Couch granted the remand but said: “I understand why, in this case, but it is beyond the usual parameters for pleas.”
Shu Na Lo, 27, has not yet pleaded to charges of careless driving causing the death of King Wai Yip, a woman tourist and a passenger in the car he was driving, and causing injuries to May Wong Kot and Graham John Dawson.
The crash occurred on September 30 after the car left an airport and was driving around a bend where it allegedly collided with an on-coming vehicle on the highway between Geraldine and Fairlie.
The woman passenger died at the scene and two other occupants were flown to Christchurch Hospital by rescue helicopter. The driver of the other car received moderate injuries and was taken by ambulance to Timaru Hospital.
Lo, who lives in Melbourne, remains on bail for the remand.
Category: News
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