Teen driver admits guilt in fatal crash

A 19-year-old Kerikeri man has admitted causing the death of a Moerewa man and seriously injuring his girlfriend in a horror crash on State Highway 10 earlier this year.

Damien Leonard Halliday made his first appearance in the Kaikohe District Court yesterday charged with aggravated careless driving causing death and aggravated careless driving causing injury.

The crash occurred on the night of February 21 when police say Halliday made "an extremely poor decision" to overtake another vehicle on a corner as he was heading south down Bulls Gorge. The ensuing head-on collision killed a passenger in a northbound car, 35-year-old Kaine Smith of Moerewa.

Halliday entered guilty pleas to both charges at his first appearance, which his lawyer Doug Blaikie said was to spare the victim's family any more distress.

He was remanded on bail until sentencing on July 25.

Members of the victim's whanau packed the courtroom, including Mr Smith's parents and girlfriend, who is now in a wheelchair.

Judge John McDonald broke with tradition by allowing the victim's family to speak yesterday rather than making them wait until sentencing. Their statement about the effects of the crash was harrowing and intensely emotional.