Motorist turns unexpectedly, cyclist in hospital for 10 weeks

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

Active lifestyle cut short, court told 

A man enjoying his fitness, cycling in his senior years, suddenly found himself hospitalised for 10 weeks and facing months of physical rehabilitation after a motorist knocked him off his bike.

The driver responsible, Johnny Maindonald-Ropotini, 27, was in his vehicle on Hirini Street, Gisborne, waiting behind a log truck to turn on to Gladstone Road, when the incident happened about 9am on January 13, 2022. Without warning, Maindonald-Ropitini suddenly turned left on to the forecourt of the adjacent Mobile service station, striking the cyclist who had come up alongside him.

The impact of the collision left the cyclist with a shattered pelvis, fractured collar bone, and eight fractured ribs.

After his lengthy stint in hospital, he now had four pins holding his pelvis together. He had needed to have rails installed in his shower, had to have physiotherapy and get a gym membership — all of which was costly, the court was told. Accident Compensation Commission initially footed the bill for the gym but would not do so going forward.

In a victim impact statement for the court, the cyclist spoke of his frustration at having to undergo lengthy rehabilitation, especially at his age when he had been enjoying an active lifestyle.

Maindonald-Ropitini, who pleaded guilty to careless use causing injury, was sentenced on Thursday in Gisborne District Court. Judge Warren Cathcart imposed 60 hours community work and a six-month driver disqualification. The judge ordered Maindonald-Ropitini to pay the victim $1000 for emotional harm within the next 21 days. It was intended to help cover the cost of the man’s $750 annual gym membership fee.

The judge said the sentence was appropriate, reflecting the fact the level of carelessness was not at the highest end of the spectrum but that even slight errors of judgement on the road could result in significant injuries for others.  He noted Maindonald-Ropitini had previous convictions but none were relevant to this incident.