A young French traveller has been convicted in the Greymouth District Court for careless driving causing injury following a crash into a power pole at Mawheraiti that left her passenger in a coma.
With the help of an interpreter, Lorie Manuguerra, 21, pleaded guilty to the charge before Judge Michelle Duggan on Wednesday.
Lawyer Kathy Basire said the situation was "very tragic".
Manuguerra and the victim, a fellow French national, were friends who met in New Zealand and had been travelling together.
On May 15, Manuguerra was not meant to be driving but did so because her friend was tired.
The court heard the women were travelling along State Highway 7 in the Grey Valley when Manuguerra reached for something in the middle console, briefly taking her eyes off the road.
Her passenger got a fright and grabbed Manuguerra's arm, yelling out to warn her.
The vehicle went partially off the road into the grass verge. Manuguerra jerked the steering wheel hard to bring the car back on to the road, over-correcting.
The back end of car slid out, and the car spun out of control, crashing into a concrete power pole on the other side of the road.
Judge Duggan said the passenger door struck the pole with such impact that it moved it about half a metre from its base.
The victim was knocked unconscious and later flown to Christchurch Hospital, where she was in a coma until a few days ago. She also suffered compressed spine and chest fractures.
"It's not yet clear what the longer term impact of her injuries will be. I've been told today that it's hoped that she will be able to fly back to France in a week's time."
Manuguerra, a student, was in New Zealand on her OE. She also hoped to return to France next week.
A statement provided by the parents of the victim said they had no ill feeling towards Manuguerra.
"They know that you're shocked and that you feel very guilty about this."
They said Manuguerra had been at the hospital every day since her friend was taken there, and had been a great support.
"I give you credit for that", Judge Duggan said
Immediately after the crash, Manuguerra tried to assist her friend with first-aid, along with bystanders, until emergency services arrived.
Manuguerra's immediate guilty plea was also factored into her sentence. She was convicted and disqualified from driving for the rest of her time in New Zealand and ordered to pay $500 in emotional harm reparation.
— Greymouth Star
