A international student who crashed into an oncoming vehicle, injuring five people, has been ordered to pay $5000 reparation.
Jie Liu, 24, appeared in Wellington District Court today and admitted five charges of careless driving causing injury.
Liu, from China and communicating through a court interpreter, is studying in New Zealand until the end of next year. The court heard that despite receiving $45,000 from her parents each year, the money was for tuition, and she was not wealthy.
The accident happened on State Highway 4 near Raetihi in central North Island on November 10 last year.
Liu was driving a rental vehicle when she lost control entering a sharp bend. She crossed the centre line and crashed head-on with a vehicle coming the other way.
Judge Andrew Becroft said the other car's five occupants, including two women and three children, were badly injured but nobody needed to be hospitalised and there were no broken bones.
Judge Becroft convicted Liu and sentenced her to 200 hours community work. She was disqualified from driving for 18 months.
Reparation of $8665 was sought, but in light of her circumstances, Judge Becroft ordered her to pay reparation of just $5000 at a minimum of $20 a week.
