October 17 had been a rainy day and Jacob Hendrik McAnally (24) was driving in Jubilee St at 11.05pm, the Dunedin District Court heard this week.
McAnally heeded the road signs and came to a stop at the Hawthorn Ave intersection before driving on.
He failed to notice a motorcyclist and drove directly into the man, causing the bike to skid across the road, coming to rest in a gutter.
McAnally fled the scene, making no attempt to see if the victim was injured.
"You are young and you were terrified, I accept that entirely," Judge Dominic Flatley said.
A short distance down the road, he came to a stop, franticly ringing his parents and employer for help.
His boss found McAnally at the scene.
"You were a bit of a mess by the time he got to you," the judge said.
The motorcyclist suffered a fractured hand and ankle, requiring a substantial amount of time off work.
The intersection where the accident occurred was "problematic", the court heard.
McAnally was convicted of careless driving causing injury and failing to stop to ascertain injury.
In the months following the accident he had been wearing the weight of his mistake heavily and had also lost his father, to whom he was extremely close, counsel Chris Lynch said.
He also completed a defensive driving course and had saved up money for the victim.
"I take the view that this was a terrible accident ... you panicked. You did the next best thing by contacting people and you are incredibly remorseful," Judge Flatley said.
McAnally was ordered to pay the victim $5000 and disqualified from driving for 12 months’.
"I don’t need to criminalise you any more and I don’t think a further penalty is required," the judge said.
