Tourist pays for fatal crash
2007-12-19 10:08
Wellington - An Austrian tourist who killed four people when her campervan ploughed into motorcyclists on a New Zealand charity ride will give the victims' families her life savings, a judge ruled on Wednesday.
Architect Heike Schellnegger had pleaded guilty in a Christchurch court to four charges of careless driving causing death, and two of causing injury by careless driving.
Schellnegger's offer to hand over her life savings was accepted and she will pay A$31 000 to the families of the four victims and two injured riders.
No other penalties were imposed on the 30-year-old except a year-long suspension from driving.
The motorcyclists were taking part in a charity ride for underprivileged children.
Judge David Saunders said "tragedy" was a word often overused in courts.
"But by any measure this was a truly ghastly tragedy," he said.
Through her lawyer Richard Raymond, Schellnegger said she was grateful for the understanding she received after meeting the victims' families.
"She does not expect forgiveness, but she is so grateful for the words of support she received," Raymond said.
Schellnegger's van had drifted off the shoulder of the road and then swerved over the centre line, ploughing into the motorcyclists on December 2 in the South Island province of Canterbury.
The victims included a British couple living in the South Island town of Timaru, south of Christchurch, and a New Zealand man and his 11-year-old daughter.