The board, at a recent hearing at the Otago Corrections Facility, heard Luke Bradley Savigny had shown similar regard for prison rules as he had for road laws.
The 28-year-old was described as non-compliant when he entered the prison and he admitted he had ‘‘played up’’ initially.
But panel convener Mary More accepted Savigny’s behaviour had since improved and there were positive reports regarding his completion of the drug treatment programme.
The prisoner pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 32-year-old Christopher Narayan Blair and was jailed for five years seven months when he was sentenced in the High Court at Dunedin in February 2021.
The court heard the two men had a confrontation with a woman and Savigny drove off in her Holden in March 2020.
He was serving a sentence at the time for previous similar charges and police had forbidden him from driving just three days earlier.
Savigny ploughed over road cones in a 30kmh zone on State Highway1 at Waikouaiti where road works were taking place, overtaking and causing motorists to take evasive action.
CCTV captured them refuelling at a service station in Palmerston and the driver later crossed double yellow lines in a 50kmh zone.
At Alma, police witnessed Savigny weaving along the highway and crossing the centre line, and when they followed, he increased his speed to 130kmh.
A subsequent Independent Police Conduct Authority investigation found the chase should have been called off sooner.
A serious crash investigation found Savigny lost control at 150kmh, skidding over a footpath, clattering into a 50kmh speed-limit sign and colliding with five trees.
The vehicle was almost split in half and Mr Blair was flung 15m from the crash site.
He died at the scene.
Blood tests showed Savigny had been using cannabis and methamphetamine beforehand.
He read a letter to the Parole Board in which he accepted his own ‘‘reckless disregard’’ had caused the death of his friend.
Ms More said Savigny was undertaking group rehabilitation for inmates with a medium risk of reoffending.
Until that was completed and he had gone through ‘‘comprehensive reintegration’’ work, his risk remained undue, she said.
Savigny will see the Parole Board again in January.
