A drink-driver who killed a good friend and seriously injured two others in a grisly crash in Hastings has been jailed for nearly four years.
Tyler Walker appeared in the Napier District Court this morning in front of a highly emotional public gallery with standing room only.
The 21-year-old earlier pleaded guilty to one charge of drink-driving causing death, two charges of drink driving causing injury and one of dangerous driving.
He was jailed for three years and nine months, and disqualified from driving for seven years.
The crash killed Jesse Uncles, and seriously injured passengers Kayden French and Stephen Palmer. Mr French (22) received life-threatening injuries and remains in hospital eight months on.
A blood sample taken after the crash showed Walker had a blood-alcohol level of 218mg per 100ml - the legal limit at the time was 80, which means he was almost three times over the then limit.
Judge Bridget Mackintosh said Walker admitted to drinking seven cans of beer, as well as a can from a beer funnel and a swig of spirits.
In a statement read out to the court, the parents of Mr Uncles said the night he died was a continual nightmare.
Dennis and Helen Uncles said his injuries were so bad they could not see him to say goodbye and the coffin had to be closed.
They said Mr Uncles was a kind and charitable young man, who planned to propose to his girlfriend on the day of his funeral. His last words not long before the crash happened were "I love you mummy".
Leanne French said for seven weeks her son clung on while on life support with a mangled, beaten up body in ICU in Wellington Hospital. He remained in hospital and the family did not know if he would fully recover.
Crown prosecutor Steve Manning said Walker showed a cavalier disregard for himself and his passengers, and other members of the public on the road that night.
Mr Manning said it was an accident waiting to happen.
Walker's lawyer Eric Forster said his client had a previous drink-driving conviction in 2014, and the second time he was caught had ended in absolute calamity.
Mr Foster said Walker had real remorse and was deeply upset that he had lost two good friends.
