Uber driver's fatal crash: Daljinder Singh guilty of killing Daniel Kopa

Daniel (Dann) Kopa with his wife Calli Cleland and their daughters Harper, Zoey, and twins Eden and Charli. Photo / Supplied

An Uber driver accused of killing a young dad in a horrific central Auckland crash has been found guilty but will not be jailed.

Daljinder Singh struck pedestrian Daniel Kopa with such force in June 2017 that he was propelled about 15 metres and his shoes were thrown off.

The fatal crash happened on Hobson St in Auckland's CBD.

Singh pleaded not guilty to operating a vehicle carelessly causing death and appeared at a judge-alone trial earlier this week.

Judge Peter Butler reserved his decision until today, delivering the guilty verdict in the Auckland District Court in front of both Kopa's and Singh's families.

Kopa's widow Calli Cleland told media after the verdict that she was relieved Singh had been held responsible for his part in the crash but nothing brought her husband back.

"Mr Kopa did not see the defendant's vehicle and jogged into its path," Judge Butler had said during his decision today.

Singh did not see Kopa until it was too late to take action, he continued.

The fact Kopa contributed to the crash did not absolve Singh, as a reasonable and prudent driver would have had time to see Kopa, he said.

However, Judge Butler did not enter a conviction today.

"Mr Singh, you will initially be worried by what I have found in the case."

But Judge Butler told Singh he would not be handing down a prison sentence.

The 26-year-old was remanded at large until August 23, when he would be sentenced.

At the trial, police prosecutor Sergeant Phil Mann said Kopa was there to be seen when he was hit by Singh's Toyota Prius.

Kopa, a father of four, had just broken into a jog across the wide one-way street shortly before 9am.

Evidence given to the court from Dr James Black showed Kopa suffered a severe traumatic brain injury during the crash.

CCTV footage showed Kopa had nearly finished crossing all four lanes of the street when he was struck by the car, just short of the footpath.

He shoes were thrown off in the collision.

The footage of the deadly incident was played in court during Singh's one-day trial.

Cleland left the courtroom shortly before that video was played.

Defence expert forensic engineer Dr Tim Stevenson concluded that the primary cause of the collision was Kopa's decision to cross the road.

Before Kopa died he had a tattoo in dedication of his children completed while in hospital as a last wish.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff, a friend of Kopa and Cleland, published a tribute to him after his death.

"I had a chance to say my goodbyes to Dann on Wednesday at the hospital. It is absolutely heartbreaking for Calli to lose the love of her life and for four little girls to grow up without their dad," Goff said.

Daniel Kopa with his wife Calli Cleland. Photo / Supplied