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Blood tests show that musician Dilworth Karaka smoked cannabis no more than 3 1/2 hours before he crashed into a parked car, killing the occupant.
Karaka, a former member of reggae band Herbs, had admitted smoking cannabis, but said it was 24 hours before the crash on March 27, 2005.
But Rotorua coroner David Dowthwaite has rejected that in his report on the death of William Greene, 58, near Reporoa.
Karaka, 55, admitted in August 2005 to careless driving causing the Reporoa man's death and to careless driving causing injury to David Tau Tau.
He was sentenced to 150 hours' community work, banned from driving for a year and ordered to pay $2000 reparation each to Mr Greene's family and Mr Tau Tau.
An inquest in February last year was adjourned for further evidence to be called, including evidence about whether Karaka was under the influence of cannabis.
In his finding, Mr Dowthwaite said blood tests showed the Aucklander had smoked one cannabis cigarette between 90 minutes and six hours before a blood sample was taken, 2 1/2 hours after the crash.
Mr Dowthwaite said he was not able to determine whether Karaka was affected by cannabis, but there was a "distinct likelihood".
Karaka had written to say he never drove under the influence of cannabis.
-DAILY POST
