Kiri Allan crash: Former Justice Minister describes night of incident that led to arrest and charges

Former Justice Minister Kiri Allan has spoken about the night she crashed into a parked car in Wellington, leading to her being arrested and charged.

The former Labour party MP was due to have her matter called in court tomorrow morning, but it was today confirmed the case had been rescheduled for a third time.

Allan has now posted on social media about the night of her crash, which happened one evening in late July on Evans Bay Parade.

In the lengthy post today, Allan described how her mental health had been suffering in the lead-up to the incident.

“A while later, my breakdown was on display to the world in all the worst ways,” she wrote.

“In a last bid attempt to find hope, I drove, I crashed and made the front pages nationally and internationally for quite some time.

“I quit my career and had to get some intensive help which lasts to today.”

Kiri Allan held the position of Justice Minister before the crash. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Allan had been driving in the suburb of Roseneath on the night, and crashed into a parked car, shunting it forward.

She was arrested and held in the police cells after the incident, and quickly charged with careless driving and refusing to accompany police. She resigned her portfolios the next day, and shortly after confirmed she would not stand for re-election.

Allan was initially due to appear in court on Monday, September 4, but that appearance was “administratively adjourned”, at the request of counsel, until September 14.

It was then administratively adjourned for a second time, with a registrar confirming Allan had filed a not guilty plea via her lawyer to the charge of refusing to accompany police.

It was put off until the next available case review hearing date in November, with Allan’s case due to be called tomorrow. On Tuesday a registrar confirmed the case was still set to go ahead, with Allan’s attendance excused.

But when contacted today by the Herald, Allan said she had been planning to attend but had received “correspondence” last night from the Crown about a further adjournment.

The Wellington District Court registrar subsequently confirmed an adjournment had been sought and granted by consent, and the next call of the matter would now be November 30.

Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.