PHOTO/FILE
A man who argued with his pregnant partner while driving a car at speed causing a crash, was convicted and given a hefty fine on Tuesday.
Thomas Te Koata Eru, 22, appeared in the Masterton District Court charged with driving in a dangerous manner and failing to stop and ascertain injury after causing a crash on Villa St in Masterton last month.
Represented by defence lawyer JP Delamere he entered two guilty pleas.
He had been driving a Ford Falcon southbound with his partner and another passenger in the afternoon on June 18.
The couple began to argue, and in his anger Eru accelerated to speeds between 90-100kmh in the 50kmh zone.
As he rounded the bend, he lost control of the car. It skidded, and spun until the car had made a 180-degree turn on the side of the road.
Eru’s vehicle crossed the centre line, almost crashing into oncoming traffic.
Though the driver of the oncoming car was able to stop in time to avoid a head on collision, the car behind crashed into the back of the first car.
Eru did not stop to ascertain if anyone had been injured in the crash, driving off despite people trying to flag him down. Nobody was injured.
Judge Barbara Morris said Eru had put his passengers and the public at risk by taking his anger out through the car.
“At no time did you stop and see if anyone had been hurt.”
She said his lack of previous convictions and good character were considered during sentencing.
“You need to be very careful that you are never back here again,” she said.
He was convicted and fined $900 and disqualified from driving for six-months, a sentence which began on Tuesday.
