Scott Redmond was sentenced to six months of home detention at the Christchurch District Court. Photo / George Heard
A bride and groom were rushed to hospital in a rescue helicopter after a “horrific” car crash on their wedding night that saw them launched 40 metres into the air.
Scott Redmond was just over two-and-a-half times the legal alcohol limit when he got behind the wheel of an unregistered vintage car that was carrying the newlyweds and friends.
Redmond appeared at the Christchurch District Court on Wednesday for sentence after earlier pleading guilty to five counts of drink-driving causing injury.
He was at a wedding with friends at Springfield Adventure Park on February 18 this year. Just after midnight Redmond and five others, including the bride and groom, got into his 1965 Chevrolet Impala, which was unregistered and unwarranted, and headed south on Kowai Rd.
No one in the car was wearing their seatbelt.
The 100km/h rural road had no centre line or street lights and as Redmond approached a rise in the road, he failed to observe a sharp right-hand bend.
Redmond slammed on the brakes, causing the car to skid 40m in a straight line before being launched into the air, travelling a further 40m while airborne before falling into a drop-off.
The car collided with a tree and flipped mid-air before landing with force on its roof.
Emergency services, including two rescue helicopters, rushed to the scene to recover some of the victims from the car.
The bride and groom were flown in critical condition to Christchurch Hospital where they spent a lengthy amount of time in intensive care with a third victim.
Redmond, who was transported to Christchurch Hospital with another victim in an ambulance, returned a blood alcohol level of 130mg per 100ml. Just over two-and-a-half times the legal limit.
The court heard all five victims suffered serious injuries including fractured spines and were still suffering psychologically, physically and financially from the crash.
Redmond is in regular contact with the victims and none sought reparation.
He told the court he had become “lax about drink-driving” but following the crash had “learnt a life lesson” and was truly sorry for what happened.
Due to Redmond’s lack of previous convictions, police did not oppose a sentence of home detention.
However, they sought emotional harm payment for the victims who are still suffering from the “horrific accident” seven months on.
Redmond’s lawyer Tony Garrett said his client had an “unblemished record” and was different to media publicity around dangerous drivers who crash and kill their passengers.
Garrett said there was no speed or “gross reckless behaviour” from Redmond but acknowledged he had a “moderate to high” alcohol reading.
“Sometimes bad decisions are made by good people,” he told the judge.
Judge Tom Gilbert said reports provided to the court showed Redmond was genuinely remorseful for the crash and seemed like a “generally good guy” judging by references he had read.
Redmond received discounts for his guilty pleas, which came at the first opportunity, his remorse, previous good character and driving record and his offers of reparation.
Judge Gilbert arrived at an end sentence of six months of home detention with special conditions. Redmond was also ordered to pay each victim $5000 for emotional harm.
Emily Moorhouse is a Christchurch-based Open Justice journalist at NZME. She joined NZME in 2022. Before that, she was at the Christchurch Star.
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