Driver fined

Press, 21 April 1984, Page 9

Driver fined

A Christchurch driver was fined $lOOO and disqualified from driving for 18 months when he appeared in the District Court at Rangiora on Wednesday on a charge of causing the death of a youth while driving under the influence of alcohol. Michael Patrick Hopewell, aged 21 (Mr K. N. Hampton), pleaded guilty before Judge Frampton to a charge that at Woodend on November 12 he caused the death of Gary John Walker by carelessly using a motor vehicle while driving under the influence of alcohol. Six alternative charges against Hopewell, some of which he had pleaded not guilty to earlier, were withdrawn by the prosecution. Sergeant R. G. Henwood said that Hopewell had been driving on Woodend Beach Road at about 7.25 p.m. in a van with four passengers. As the van rounded a sweeping right-hand bend at the intersection with Fullers Road, Hopewell lost control of the vehicle and hit a fence. The passengers were thrown out. Gary John Walker later died of head injuries, while the other passengers were also injured. A blood specimen taken from Hopewell showed a concentration of 243 mg of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, said Sergeant Henwood.

Hopewell told the police that he approached the bend

at about 30 to 40 km/h. He had braked and lost control and claimed that something had gone wrong with the suspension, said Sergeant Henwood. A Ministry of Transport inspector had found that the van was not up to warrant of fitness standard because of wear and play in the steering box. Mr Hampton said that the accident had been the result of an act of charity. Hopewell had been concerned that some of a group of youths camped at Woodend Beach near him were sniffing glue. He had offered to take them to the Woodend Motor Inn for some liquor. It was during the journey for the liquor that the accident happened. The act of charity had turned into tragedy for Hopewell and he had suffered considerably since. Hopewell had been asked to keep an eye on the younger group by the custodian. He had not intended driving anywhere that evening and had been drinking, said Mr Hampton. He was unaware that there was a steering defect in the van. Hopewell had voluntarily gone to the Alcohol and Drug Dependence Centre for ■ counselling, Mr Hampton said. Judge Frampton said that any sentence imposed by the court could not undo the harm done, but the court had to impose a severe sentence.