A tourist who drove a campervan through an intersection without stopping and collided with a car, has pleaded guilty to aggravated careless driving causing death and injury.
Simone Agatau (23), of Italy, is charged with careless driving causing the death of Pradeep Priyakumara Edirisinghe, and careless driving causing injury to Corinna Curighetti, while driving on the wrong part of the road by not stopping at a stop sign, on Two Chain Rd, Riversdale, on August 28.
Represented by counsel Anne Stevens, Agatau entered his pleas in the Dunedin District Court yesterday.
Judge Michael Turner remanded him for sentence on October 29.
Prosecutor Acting Sergeant Adrian Cheyne said Agatau was driving a rental campervan on Two Chain Rd, with his travelling companion, his front seat passenger, about 9.45am.
The speed limit was 100kmh.
Agatau drove through the intersection with Riversdale-Waikaia Rd without stopping and collided with a Nissan car being driven on that road by 44 year old Mr Edirisinghe.
Mr Edirisinghe, from Sri Lanka and employed at a nearby dairy farm, died from his injuries at the scene.
The intersection was controlled by a compulsory stop, with a warning sign about 200m away. Agatau said he was driving at 100kmh and being guided by the GPS in his vehicle.
He had been driving on deserted roads and had not seen another vehicle anywhere for a long time. He did not see the stop sign at the intersection where he collided with the Nissan. And he did not see the Nissan before crashing into it.
Agatau's travelling companion suffered concussion from a knock to her head, and swelling to her nose and forehead.
She also had superficial cuts and grazes to her head and body. She was taken to Dunedin Hospital and admitted overnight for her head injury to be assessed and monitored.
Agatau had been living in Australia for most of the past year and came to New Zealand on August 25 intending to holiday until September 12.
