A Canadian tourist whose wife died when their campervan collided with a truck near the Waitomo Caves last week has been banned from driving for six months.
Douglas Smith, 62, was convicted and discharged at Hamilton District Court today. He was disqualified from holding a NZ driver's licence for six months.
His two daughters and sister-in-law were in the public gallery and cried as the verdict was passed. Mr Smith's lawyer, Phil Morgan, said in a submission that the family wanted to go home to Canada to arrange a funeral for Mrs Smith.
Michele Smith, 60, died in the crash at the intersection of SH3 and SH37 at the turn-off to the Waitomo Caves on February 23.
The Canadian couple and their adult daughter - on a month-long holiday - had just spent four hours on a caving adventure and were on their way to Tongariro when the campervan was T-boned by the truck at Hangatiki just before 2pm.
