Arrest warrant out for driver following death of American tourist

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

An arrest warrant has been issued for a woman charged with dangerous driving causing the death of 25-year-old American tourist Nicholas Simon.

Simon died after the vehicle he was driving collided with another vehicle on State Highway 2 (Matawai Road) at Te Karaka on Thursday October 27, last year.

Three others were injured in the crash, which was reported to police about 5.20pm.

A 26-year-old woman who was driving the other vehicle, has since been charged with dangerous driving causing death and three counts of dangerous driving causing injury.

She was scheduled to appear at a registrar's list in Gisborne District Court this morning but the case was not called. A warrant was issued for her arrest last Friday.

Simon, who was from the ski town of Steamboat, Colorado, and his girlfriend were in New Zealand for a month on what his family previously described to national media as a “dream” holiday.

He was a keen skier, surfer and mountain biker. The collision happened when he and his girlfriend were driving to their campsite after a day surfing.