Tourist appears in court over Hamilton woman's death

A New Caledonian tourist who allegedly crashed into a car killing a Hamilton woman has appeared in court.

Jeff Tau Viriamu, 43, faces charges of careless driving causing the death of Alyisa Kelly, 27, and two charges of careless driving causing injury after the crash on State Highway 1 at Piarere on Thursday.

Viriamu, who doesn't speak a lot of English, was heading south with his wife Lydia Tong after landing at Auckland International Airport. He's accused of crossing the centre line and crashing into Kelly's northbound vehicle, killing her and injuring her partner Isaac Ohlin, who has both arms in plaster.

Viriamu was remanded on bail without plea to reappear on September 14.

Conditions of his bail include to report daily to Hamilton Central Police Station and surrender his passport.

He is staying at his wife's bedside in Waikato Hospital, where she is in a serious condition.

Kelly's family told the Herald on Monday that she had been living in Sydney for four years and was holidaying in New Zealand with her Australian boyfriend.

Esther Kelly with a photo of her granddaughter Alyisa who died in a crash on Thursday. Photo/Nikki Preston

The couple were halfway through their trip and had been skiing and snowboarding at Mt Ruapehu before spending time in Mahia and Gisborne.

They had been on their way to Hamilton to have dinner with Kelly's grandma Esther Kelly when the crash happened.

Kelly will be farewelled at the Hamilton Gardens today at 2pm. Her friends and family plan to celebrate her life with bubble wands, red balloons and plenty of champagne.