A 41-year-old overseas national has pleaded guilty to five charges of aggravated careless driving causing injury, following a serious crash in Te Anau earlier this month.
Michel Alix Gerard Leroux (41), of Brussels, Belgium, was on the wrong side of the road when his Toyota Highlander collided head-on with an oncoming vehicle on the Te Anau-Milford Highway on December 8, causing serious injuries to five people.
Leroux and his family, who had arrived in New Zealand for a holiday on December 1, were travelling from Te Anau to Milford for a day trip at the time of the accident, the Dunedin District Court heard this morning.
Leroux was negotiating a right hand bend when he crossed the centre line and collided with an oncoming vehicle, carrying two people.
Both cars swerved in the same direction to avoid the collision.
One of the occupants of the oncoming car suffered a broken back and the other victim also suffered broken bones.
Leroux' children, aged six and 10 were in the back seat and also suffered serious injuries.
The six-year-old suffered a cracked pelvis and a fractured arm, while the ten-year-old suffered severe bruising.
Leroux asked for his court case to be dealt with today, but Judge Michael Tunrer told Leroux, through a French interpreter, his case could not be heard until next year.
The charges were serious and each carried a maximum penalty of three years' jail, Judge Turner said.
There also needed to be considerable thought given to the sentence and restorative justice needed to be completed, he said.
"This type of offending has become far too common, particularly in the Otago and Southland area.
"Deterrence may need to be given greater effect for offending of this type."
Leroux said he could pay $10,000 in reparation to the victims and had arranged to borrow a further $5000.
He was remanded on bail and scheduled to reappear in Dunedin District Court on January 13.
Leoux was banned from driving as a condition of bail and ordered to surrender his passport.
