A Dunedin mother says she thought she had lost her only child when a crash saw her ejected through a sunroof and trapped under a 4WD.
Shane Douglas Booth, 20, appeared before community magistrate Sally O’Brien last week after a day of four-wheel-driving "came together in all the wrong ways", the Dunedin District Court heard.
On March 4, Booth picked up two friends and headed to the Leith Valley area — he only held a restricted licence and was not accompanied by an appropriate supervisor.
Following friends in another vehicle, the trio spent a few hours in Booth’s Toyota Surf, before heading to Outram via State Highway 87.
At some point, the woman in the back seat started to feel sick, so she took off her seatbelt and lay down.
Travelling at 100kmh the defendant pulled into School Rd South, which had recently been re-gravelled.
Booth started slipping and could not control the vehicle, colliding with a tree.
The female passenger was ejected through the sunroof and the vehicle landed on top of her.
Booth and his other passenger called emergency services while attempting to stabilise the vehicle with a car jack.
The defendant attempted to free his friend but had suffered a spinal fracture as a result of the accident.
"He did not escape scot-free," counsel Libby Hadlow said.
The victim’s mother was called to the scene and witnessed her daughter trapped under the vehicle.
"When I stood not knowing whether my daughter was dead or alive, it was heartbreaking," she said.
"I almost lost my only child."
The woman spent three weeks in hospital, requiring surgery on both legs because of broken bones and ligament damage.
"She was in very significant pain ... She had to learn to walk again," Ms O’Brien said.
As a result of the accident, the victim lost a job opportunity and was forced to rely on her mother for everything, the court heard.
"She felt angry, she felt bitter, she felt broken," the community magistrate said.
The young victim spoke in court.
"Shane is still young. We are all young immature teenagers. I didn’t wear a seatbelt. I am to blame for some parts of it."
Despite suffering flashbacks and nightmares, the mother and daughter only wanted Booth to learn from his mistake, advising the court of their wishes for him to attend a defensive-driving course.
"That is not an attack on you. Kids need to learn actions have consequences," the victim’s mother said.
The defendant was charged with careless driving and was reportedly remorseful.
"The victims in this case have very generously recognised that you are a young man who made some stupid mistakes. The outcome could have been much worse," Ms O’Brien said.
Booth was disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay $2000 for the emotional harm caused.
He was ordered to complete a defensive driving course when his period of disqualification was over.
"I hope you have learned your lesson," the victim’s mother said.
erin.cox@odt.co.nz , PIJF Court reporter
