Graham Rouse’s daughter-in-law Meg Rouse described how the crash was avoidable and how the actions of Aaron Wayne Carter were nothing short of egregious.
Carter appeared in the High Court at Christchurch for sentencing on Wednesday on counts of being in charge of driving a motor vehicle with a controlled drug in his system, causing the death of Rouse, 76, and injuring his wife Janine Rouse.
The crash occurred on State Highway 7 south of Hanmer Springs, at the junction of Mouse Point Rd and Leslie Hills Rd, in February 2023.
“The basic facts are appalling; you chose to drive without a licence, you chose to drive an unlicensed vehicle, and you chose to drive after little sleep while high on methamphetamine, cannabis and diazepam,” Meg Rouse said in a victim impact statement read to the court.
“What followed were the actions of someone who clearly has flagrant disregard for the law and for the safety of other people.
“You chose to smoke meth while driving, you chose to regularly text on your phone and unsurprisingly you lost control of the vehicle, not once, but twice.
“Because of this accident, Graham will never see his grandchildren grow up, he will not meet their parents or share in their life milestones; you robbed them of a wonderful Poppa and robbed Graham of years of happy memories.”
Rouse’s widow Janine Rouse shed tears as she read her statement to the court.
“The gap that Graham leaves in my life and the life of his children is enormous.”
She said he was well respected in the Hamner Springs community.
They had been together for 40 years and were looking forward to living their retirement in the North Canterbury town.
“Everything in my life has changed since the accident.”
The physical effects from the accident had left her with ongoing medical issues including post-traumatic stress disorder.
“The trauma has indeed fractured our family.”
She told Carter that she had received multiple injuries, some of which were ongoing and non-reparable.
“I have had to learn to sit, to stand and walk again.”
She said she would require assisted care for the rest of her life.
“The ongoing trauma for our family is enormous.”
Text messages sent from behind the wheel
In submissions made to the court, Crown prosecutor Courtney Martyn said Carter’s driving that day was prolonged and persistently bad. It had been noticed by the public who alerted authorities, she said.
Martyn added Carter had demonstrated a poor attitude towards road safety.
Defence lawyer Kerry Cook said his client was sorry, and that Carter believed he should have been the one who died on the day of the crash.
Cook said he’d had little sleep, was in no fit state to drive, and should not have been on the road.
The outcome of the driving was described as catastrophic, he said.
Justice Jonathan Eaton said Carter, who has prior driving convictions in New Zealand and Australia, should never have been on the road that day.
He said Carter was under the influence of drugs and lost control of his vehicle multiple times, and then sent text messages to associates while behind the wheel, before the crash, making light of the driving incidents.
The messages demonstrated his reckless disregard, Justice Eaton said.
“It is plain that the harm your offending has caused is immense.
“The overall picture to me is of a recidivist drink or drugged driver.”
Justice Eaton took a starting point of six years' imprisonment before applying a discount of 22.%.
Carter was then sentenced to four years and eight months' imprisonment and disqualified from driving for five years.
