Distracted, agitated driver admits fatal crash

File photo / NZ Herald

An 18-year-old Christchurch Polytechnic student says he was distracted and agitated by his passengers when he lost control of his car and crashed, killing one of the passengers.

Police say that Samuel Lyndon Midgley continued to drive in an agitated state on Brougham St on August 12 last year when the car crashed into a steel power pole, killing one passenger and injuring two others. All were fellow polytechnic students.

In Christchurch District Court today he pleaded guilty to charges of careless driving causing the death of Phillip Joshua Pullin and injuring two other men.

The court was told that the car was estimated to be travelling between 61km/h and 71km/h at the time of impact. Police said alcohol was not a factor, the car was unmodified and well maintained.

Midgley lost control as he changed lanes and had to avoid another vehicle. The car began fishtailing before it struck the pole.

Mr Pullin received fatal injuries and died soon after, another passenger was hospitalised for two weeks with life-threatening injuries, and a third passenger was knocked unconscious and had a broken ankle.

Midgley told police he was "distracted and overwhelmed" by loud voices and music inside the car and one passenger was playing with the switches on the driver's console, but he continued to drive though he was agitated.

Judge Stephen Erber remanded him on bail for sentence on April 20 and called for a pre-sentence and a victim impact reports.

- NZPA