Chch teen avoids conviction after causing crash that killed 19-year-old

Keyana Smith-Beazley. Photo: Givealittle
Keyana Smith-Beazley. Photo: Givealittle
A Christchurch teenager has been discharged without conviction after he caused a crash that killed a 19-year-old and seriously injured four others.

The driver, who was 18 at the time of the crash on October 14 last year, was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court on Tuesday after he admitted responsibility for the incident, the New Zealand Herald reported.

The crash occurred at the intersection of Homebush Rd, Bridge St and Malvern Hills Rd near Coalgate in the Selwyn district.

The teen was charged with careless driving causing death and four counts of careless driving causing injury. He pleaded guilty to all charges early in proceedings, the Herald reported.

Northland teenager Keyana Smith-Beazley was a passenger in the front seat of the car, the Herald reported.

She was thrown from the car and sustained critical injuries when the driver failed to give way at the intersection and hit another vehicle.

Smith-Beazley died in Christchurch Hospital the next day. A couple and their young children were also seriously injured. 

After the crash, Smith-Beazley's niece created a Givealittle page, which raised $2568 to help support her family and take her body back home to Waima in Northland.

In court yesterday Judge Katie Elkin discharged the teen and granted him permanent name suppression, the Herald reported.

Members of Smith-Beazley’s family were in court for the sentencing.

Judge Elkin acknowledged the family and told them their "lives have been forever changed by this".

"Thank you for your presence with us here today in the midst of your grief."

The teen was also disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay $8000 to each family, the Herald reported.