Aswiss woman whose careless driving killed a 23-year-old Korean woman passenger last month lost her own mother in a traffic accident three years ago, the Queenstown District Court heard yesterday.
Student Eleanor Julie Chappuis (27), of Geneva, pleaded guilty to the charge of operating a vehicle carelessly on the Forks-Okarito Rd, near Franz Josef glacier, causing the death of Geon Joo Park, on November 13.
Defence counsel Tony Oxnevad said Chappuis accepted "total blame" and felt "deep sorrow" and she had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.
Mr Oxnevad said the defendant's mother was killed in a traffic accident three years ago and she understood the loss suffered by the Park family.
Chappuis had contacted the dead woman's family.
The defence counsel quoted the police officer in charge as saying the incident was at the low level of carelessness, caused by the defendant's inexperience with the van.
Chappuis was apprehensive as it was her first time driving an automatic and any vehicle on New Zealand roads, Mr Oxnevad said.
Chappuis had driven 10km, then swerved to avoid a pothole and rolled the van.
The victim was not wearing a seat belt.
The defendant did not have any previous driving convictions.
The family of Geon Joo Park did not want reparations, or even Chappuis punished, as they considered it an accident, Mr Oxnevad said.
Chappuis appeared in the dock with a translator.
The defendant's father could send money and she was due to leave New Zealand.
Judge John Macdonald asked about the hole in the road and heard it was roadworks.
Chappuis had driven too wide at the curve to avoid the works.
The judge said it was a "terribly sad and tragic accident" and the level of carelessness was on the low end.
Chappuis was an intelligent young woman with a bright future, he said.
The judge acknowledged the irony of her mother's death in an accident, the wishes of the victim's family and he accepted her remorse was genuine.
Chappuis was fined $1000, court costs $189.89, disqualified for six months.
