Fellow rally driver charged with causing Possum Bourne's death

By PATRICK GOWER

A man involved in the car accident that killed rally legend Possum Bourne has been charged with dangerous driving causing death.

Following a five-month investigation police arrested fellow rally driver Mike Barltrop yesterday.

He was released on bail to appear in Queenstown District Court on Monday.

Barltrop was charged with driving "in a manner, [that] having regard to all the circumstances of the case, was dangerous and thereby caused the death of Peter Raymond George Bourne".

Detective Derek Shaw said police would not comment any further.

Bourne died in Dunedin Hospital 10 days after receiving serious head injuries in the April 18 accident involving his car and that driven by Barltrop.

Barltrop was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee in a reconnaissance convoy up the Snow Farm Rd in the Cardrona Valley before the Silverstone Race to the Sky event at Easter.

Bourne was driving a Subaru Forester down the mountain. The two cars collided near the bottom of the road.

Last night Bourne's wife Peggy said she could not talk about the case because it was before the courts but she appreciated the police keeping her informed of their progress throughout the investigation.

Barltrop, who suffered a broken leg in the accident, could not be reached for comment last night.

The maximum penalty for dangerous driving causing death is a five-year prison term or a $20,000 fine. There is a minimum mandatory disqualification from driving of 12 months.