A father charged with killing his four-year-old son, after allegedly driving his car into the path of a freight train in south Auckland, will wait nearly a year to go on trial.
Alan Stephens, 39, has denied the manslaughter of Trae Blayde and three charges of reckless driving causing injury to two of his other children and a niece.
The trial has been set to start on September 6 next year in the High Court in Auckland.
A depositions hearing was told that Stephens left home on January 20 in his car with his three children Shannyne, six, Trae Blayde, Holly, two and his niece Nakita, 12.
The Crown alleged he drove his car around barrier arms at the railway intersection at Paerata, near Pukekohe, directly into the path of the freight train which slammed into the back of the car.
Trae sustained critical injuries and was flown to hospital by rescue helicopter, where he died.
Holly suffered subdural bleeding to the brain and Shannyne received cuts and bruises. Nakita suffered severe head injuries after being thrown out of the back window of the car and would have serious problems for the rest of her life, the Crown said.
