A Bay of Plenty motorist believed to have fallen asleep at the wheel before crashing into another vehicle killing the woman driver has avoided jail time.
Samuel Trevor Kneebone, 18, was sentenced in Tauranga District Court on Monday to 200 hours community work, ordered to pay $200 to the dead woman's husband, and disqualified from driving for 18 months, The Bay of Plenty Times reported.
Diane Wilton-Jones, from Tauranga, died instantly on January 2 when Kneebone's ute crashed head-on into her vehicle near Maungatapu Bridge in suburban Tauranga.
Police believed Kneebone fell asleep at the wheel after working long hours prior to the crash.
In June he pleaded guilty to careless driving causing death and careless driving.
Graham Wilton-Jones, also injured in the crash, said he had forgiven Kneebone and while he missed his wife dearly, prison time was not the answer.
Kneebone had made a mistake, Mr Wilton-Jones said.
"To send this young man to jail would have ruined his life completely."
- NZPA
Sleeping driver not jailed over fatal crash
File photo / NZ Herald
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
