Passenger charged with reckless driving over car crash

The crash site. Photo / ODT

A 40-year-old man has appeared on two counts of reckless driving causing injury in relation to a car crash caused by an allegedly drunk teenager.

The Alexandra man, who has interim name suppression, appeared before the registrar in the Alexandra District Court yesterday.

He was the adult seated beside the teenage driver when the crash happened near Alexandra on October 21.

Announcing the charges last week, Sergeant Derek Ealson, of Alexandra, said a reckless driving charge could be laid if a person drove a vehicle or caused a vehicle to be driven.

A 15-year-old had been driving a van with four people in it when it rolled on Little Valley Rd just after 7pm on October 21.

Central Otago sub-area supervisor Senior Sergeant Ian Kerrisk said at the time the driver of the vehicle was drunk, as were the driver's parent and the others.

The 15-year-old was referred to Youth Aid and has appeared in Youth Court once. He will reappear in Youth Court on November 24.

The 40-year-old Alexandra man, who has also been charged with supplying alcohol to a person under 18 in Alexandra on October 21, entered no pleas to the charges.

He was remanded until November 23.