Fatal West Coast crash victim's family face driver in court

Emotions were running high as Brian Ralph Lewis, 66, entered the Greymouth District Court in a wheelchair and wearing an oxygen tube. Photo / NZME

Friends and family of a Ngahere grandmother killed in a head-on collision with an alleged drunk driver, faced him in court on Wednesday for the first time.

Emotions were running high as Brian Ralph Lewis, 66, entered the Greymouth District Court in a wheelchair and wearing an oxygen tube.

Health issues have kept Lewis out of court since the crash near Stillwater on April 30, which killed 56-year-old Greymouth New World staff member Kathy Sexton and seriously injured her teenage grandson and his friend. The crash happened as they were driving home from Greymouth with takeaways.

Lewis, who was also badly injured in the crash, had a blood-alcohol count of 183ml — more than three times the legal limit.

He is charged with drink-driving causing death, and two counts of drink-driving causing injury.

Lawyer Patrick Brand said Lewis did not want to cause further harm to the families by dragging the case on. He also acknowledged the strong public interest in having the case heard in Greymouth rather than being transferred to Christchurch where it could have been dealt with sooner.

Judge Tony Couch said he was not going to allow it to "drift on'' any longer.

Lewis was first summonsed to court in June. He had still not entered a plea and the court file was still incomplete, the judge said.

Judge Couch asked the Crown prosecutor to send a summary of facts to the court immediately.

"This has just been run on the slimmest lines possible to date. It's time that it actually got on to a solid track. I am concerned that matters of this are of great public interest and of great distress to the victims, not only the people who were injured but the relatives and friends of the person who has died.

"That's another reason why matters should move along promptly.'"

Judge Couch remanded Lewis on continuing bail to reappear on November 9.

Supporters of Lewis were also in the public gallery.

- Greymouth Star