A Canadian woman has been sentenced following a serious crash near Taupō over the weekend, which has left some of those injured facing “many months” of recovery.
Renee Kelly Vanry, from West Vancouver, appeared in the Tauranga District Court today.
The 57-year-old was sentenced on four charges of careless driving causing injury, relating to the serious injuries four of her passengers sustained, and another charge of reckless driving relating to the overtaking manoeuvre which caused the crash, police said.
Police were called the two-vehicle collision at about 10.30am on Sunday March 23 on State Highway 5, in Rangitaiki.
Vanry was the driver of a van which had been attempting to overtake a slower vehicle near a left-hand bend, with less than 100 metres visibility, Senior Sergeant Fane Troy said.
Police said the van was “still on the opposite side of the road” when a Jeep rounded the corner and hit it.
“The force of the impact caused the van to become airborne, landing backwards in a ditch across the road.”
While neither driver was injured, four passengers in the van suffered a range of serious injuries, and another seven were discharged the same day.
On Monday, it was reported Canadian hockey players were among the injured.
“Of the four, one has flown back to Canada, with another due to return home this week, while two remain in hospital in New Zealand.”
It was noted Vanry had taken responsibility for her actions, which allowed the judicial process to happen swiftly.
Twelve people have been injured, four seriously, in a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 5, near Taupō this morning. (Source: 1News)
“Her misjudgement has had a profound effect on the lives of her passengers, the other driver, and her own,” Troy said.
“The crash, although serious, could have been so much worse if it were not for the seatbelts that everyone involved was wearing.”
Vanry was disqualified from driving for six months, and was ordered to pay $1000 for emotional harm to each of the four victims, and $1500 for emotional harm to the other driver.
Six other charges were withdrawn.
