A Japanese medical student holidaying in New Zealand has been allowed to go home after paying $1000 reparation to a teenage driver injured in a two-vehicle crash near Henley last month.
Yuki Shimizu (25) admitted causing injury to the 17-year-old victim by driving carelessly on Centre Rd, on April 23.
The victim suffered bruising to his left eyebrow and trauma and abrasions to both knees when he struck the right side of Shimizu's rental vehicle after it failed to give way at an uncontrolled intersection. Both vehicles landed in a ditch and were extensively damaged.
The collision happened at the intersection of Centre and Henley-Berwick Rds about 11.20am.
The victim was driving to work along the Henley-Berwick Rd and Shimizu was travelling southwest in Centre Rd.
The road was wet and the defendant, who was doing about 90kmh on the 100kmh road, failed to notice the upcoming T-intersection.
He braked heavily. His speed was about 50kmh as he entered the intersection into the path of the other vehicle.
The victim had no time to brake or swerve and crashed into the driver's side of the Toyota.
He suffered a cut to one eyebrow and bruising, abrasions and trauma to both knees.
In the Dunedin District Court yesterday, Shimizu was convicted and disqualified for six months.
And he was ordered by Judge Kevin Phillips to pay $1000 to the victim for emotional harm.
Counsel Anne Stevens said the defendant had tried to do some community work at Dunedin Hospital over the weekend. He had borrowed $1000 from his grandmother to make an emotional harm payment to the victim.
Shimizu needed to be back in Japan this week to complete his study course.
Judge Phillips told the defendant it was fortunate there had been no more serious injury than bruising, abrasions and trauma to the victim.
He took into account Shimizu had borrowed to pay reparation and once payment was received, the defendant's passport could be returned and he could leave.
