Road safety advocate in court after crash

Mark Cummings. File photo
Mark Cummings. File photo
A Dunedin father who campaigned for road safety after his daughter died in a car crash has appeared in court after allegedly crashing his car.

Mark David Cummings, 49, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday on nine charges.

The charges were indecently assaulting a police officer, two charges of assaulting police, two charges of resisting police, two charges of speaking threateningly, possessing cannabis and refusing to complete a compulsory impairment test.

In 2019, his 15-year-old daughter Jayde Amy Cummings was killed instantly when the driver of the ute she was in travelled along Church Rd West and failed to stop at the intersection with Huntly Rd, in Outram.

The incident resulted in a prolonged road safety campaign by Cummings and he was vindicated by a coroner’s report last year.

Sergeant Matt Lee, of Dunedin, said Cummings’ charges came after a car crash in Mosgiel on Saturday afternoon.

The vehicle hit the centre wire barrier on the Southern Motorway, removing about 200m of support posts.

Witnesses claimed the driver made no attempt to brake.

Police allege Cummings refused to undergo the compulsory impairment test and a blood test was taken.

Later that evening, police went to Cummings’ address.

He was "aggressive and assaultive" towards officers and was arrested, Sgt Lee alleged.

Cummings did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody to reappear later this week.

After the 2019 crash that claimed his daughter’s life Cummings was vocal about the maintenance of the site which was also criticised by coroner Marcus Elliott after his inquest into Jayde’s death.

Mr Elliott said there were no marks at the scene to suggest the driver slowed down, indicating he was likely oblivious to the intersection.

Overgrown foliage that obscured a road sign was also a contributing factor to the crash, the coroner said.

felicity.dear@odt.co.nz

 

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