KEY POINTS:
A 38-year-old father has appeared in court on dangerous driving charges following a collision between a train and his car that killed his 4-year-old son.
The man, who was granted interim name suppression, appeared in Pukekohe District Court yesterday facing three counts of dangerous driving causing injury and one count of dangerous driving causing death.
The charges relate to an incident on January 20 when he and four children were travelling in a car struck by a freight train on a level crossing at Paerata, near Pukekohe, 50km southwest of Auckland.
While the man escaped with minor injuries, his son was airlifted to Auckland's Starship hospital in a critical condition and later died.
Three girls, aged 12, 6 and 2, were also hospitalised.
The man did not enter a plea and was remanded on bail to reappear on February 25.
Senior Sergeant Rob Arnold of Pukekohe police said
he would like to speak to anyone who might have seen the Silver Mitsubishi Sedan travelling on State Highway 22 between Drury and Paerata.
- NZPA
