Swiss driver admits head-on smash
A Swiss national injured four people in a head-on crash on Christmas Day when he drove on the wrong side of the road at Goose Bay, near Kaikoura.
Nicolas Louis Harambault, 25, who is in New Zealand on a one-year work visa, pleaded guilty to four charges of careless driving causing injury in an appearance in the Christchurch District Court today.
Judge Tony Couch noted that Harambault had already faced up to two of the victims over Facebook, and through a restorative justice meeting.
He said he wanted to make it clear that any emotional harm payment he ordered was only a token amount, which reflected Harambault’s ability to pay. He ordered payments of $700 to each victim.
He also ordered the man to do 200 hours of community work and disqualified him from driving for a year.
Harambault had a friend helping with interpretation during the court hearing.
Defence counsel Louise Pender said he was “incredibly remorseful” and had no previous convictions. He had worked in Switzerland as a nurse at a drug rehabilitation centre. He planned to return home when he was able, because of the experience he had had.
Police said he had pulled in to a rest area at Goose Bay to have a cigarette and take photographs. When he drove back onto State Highway 1, he travelled about 80m on the wrong side of the road around a moderate bend.
He ran head-on into a car with four occupants that was travelling south. Both drivers braked, but the cars collided on the apex of the bend.
The other car’s four occupants were flown to Christchurch Hospital by helicopter.
One had extensive facial injuries including skull fractures, deep facial cuts, broken nose, internal injuries to the spleen and extensive bruising and swelling. He needed several surgeries and had metal plates inserted to reconstruct his forehead.
The second victim received a broken ankle and severely bruised ribs.
The third received three compression fractures to her vertebrae and was in a neck brace for up to 12 weeks.
The fourth received a fractured sternum and internal contusions to her abdominal walls, a mild head injury, and bruising.
Harambault told police he did not realise he was on the wrong side of the road until it was too late.
Judge Couch said all the victims had had their lives affected by the crash. “I have read their victim impact statements and have been moved by them.”
The judge told Harambault: “I think it is important you be ordered to make some payment, though it can only be a token payment.”
Category: Focus
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