Widow's rebuke for crash driver

Wei Kiong Lew.
Wei Kiong Lew.
"We were supposed to grow old together,'' grieving widow Nicola Chambers told the man responsible for her husband's death in a North Otago car crash last year, during an emotionally charged sentencing in the Dunedin District Court yesterday. 

Mrs Chambers directed much of her victim impact statement to Singaporean Wei Kiong Lew, who sat in the dock crying and nodding in her direction as she told of the pain his driving had caused her, her now fatherless 7-year-old daughter, family and friends.

Lew, who was on holiday in New Zealand when the crash occurred about 5pm on November 29 last year, was given four months' home detention, 200 hours' community work, and required to pay reparation of $27,000.

He had pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated careless driving causing the death of Motueka man Craig Alan Chambers in a crash on State Highway 1, near Waianakarua, about 20km south of Oamaru.

Mrs Chambers told the court her life, and the life of her daughter had "changed completely''.

In a sometimes breaking voice she said her husband's death had a "huge impact'' on their physical and mental health.

"He was always making things better - who is going to help me now?'' she asked.

Her daughter used to laugh "wholeheartedly'' but did not any more.

"The choices you made that day, and your speed, determined Craig's death.

"You are solely responsible for my daughter being fatherless, and me being a widow.''

The court heard Lew was driving in a single southbound lane separated from two northbound lanes by double yellow lines, when he crossed the yellow lines into the northbound overtaking lane.

One motorist and a Laverda motorcycle rider took evasive action, though Lew's car hit wing mirrors on both vehicles.

Another car swerved and avoided a collision.

Mr Chambers, who was riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle directly behind that car, swerved right, but Lew's vehicle struck the front left of the motorcycle.

At the time of the impact, Lew's vehicle was travelling at 120kmh, and Lew did not brake or attempt to move back into his correct lane before the impact.

Mr Chambers suffered massive trauma to the left side of his body and was flung into a barrier and then outside the southbound lane.

He died of his injuries at the scene. Lew's vehicle spun and collided with a station wagon.

Lew's partner received serious head injuries, and was recuperating in Singapore.

The court heard Lew fell asleep at the wheel, after driving from Tekapo to Oamaru, stopping for food and sightseeing, then continuing south.

Judge Kevin Phillips told Lew he must have been aware he was tired, but ignored that.

He said a report provided by Lew's counsel, Anne Stevens, stating Lew could have suffered from sleep apnoea, was "not a diagnosis''.

He gave Lew, a senior analyst at the Singapore Energy Market Authority, a 50% sentence discount for an early guilty plea, his remorse, and community work he had already undertaken voluntarily.

The court heard he had done voluntary work for both the Buddhist Centre and the New Zealand Prisoners' Aid and Rehabilitation Society.

 

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