Driver charged after fatal crash

Senior Constable Andy Clinton with the damaged Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4 after it was involved in the crash which killed Jesse Uncles.

A man charged with drink-driving causing the death of a friend in a crash near Hastings last year had almost three times the legal limit of alcohol, police say.

According to a charge in Hastings District Court yesterday, alleged crash driver Tyler James Walker, 21, of Hastings, had a blood-alcohol level of 218mg per 100ml when a blood sample was taken soon after the crash which killed Jesse Lee Uncles on Farndon Rd, a short distance from the Chesterhope Bridge, shortly before midnight on August 8 last year.

While the legal limit for his age is now 50mg, it was 80mg at the time of the crash.

Walker faces one charge of drink-driving causing death and two of drink-driving causing injury to two other passengers, as well as a charge of dangerous driving relating to events in Pakowhai Rd, Hastings, a short time before the crash.

Police say Mr Uncles was a backseat passenger when the car rolled on a bend and dropped down to a stand of trees and flipped back on to the road.

One of the injured, Kayden Basil French, was sitting in the passenger seat of the silver 1997 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4.

He suffered "extremely serious injuries" which he was still recovering from and would be for some time yet, police said.

Walker suffered a knock to the head and the other injured passenger, Stephen Edwin Palmer, was sitting on the right-hand side of the car.

His injuries included two spinal fractures.

The Serious Crash Unit gathered evidence from the scene and conducted an investigation into the crash.

Farndon Rd has ditches, a number of trees and narrow shoulders.

Walker was remanded on bail and will return to court on February 23.