Guannan Gu, 30, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday, where he pleaded guilty to careless driving causing injury to Ian Armstrong whose 1969 Austin-Healey Sprite was destroyed in the crash.
‘‘[The victim] was driving an open-top vehicle and it was a head-on collision,’’ police prosecutor Alan De Jager said.
‘‘It could have been catastrophic.’’
The court heard Mr Armstrong was admitted to hospital with fractures to his leg and abdominal pain but felt lucky his injuries were not more severe.
The 73-year-old grandfather of seven, though, said he was mourning the loss of his classic car and was now unavailable to help family with daily tasks.
There were ‘‘things that money just can’t bring back’’, Mr Armstrong wrote in a statement.
Gu was driving north on State Highway1 out of Dunedin, travelling at 40kmh behind a truck-and-trailer unit, court documents said.
He overtook the vehicle on a blind corner and said he did not see the victim until it was too late.
Gu acknowledged to police he had crossed the yellow central line on the road, but thought it was safe to do so.
Counsel Kelly Beazley said her client’s wife had returned to China this week on a scheduled flight.
Once Gu’s passport was released by the court, he planned to journey to Christchurch by bus before flying home, she said.
Mr Armstrong told the Otago Daily Times he had been heading to Dunedin from Moeraki, where he had lunch with other members of a car club.
He said the car had been his ‘‘passion project’’ since he bought it six years ago.
‘‘It’s a big disappointment to me to see it the way it is,’’ Mr Armstrong said.
However, yesterday, he said he held ‘‘no grudges’’, and was satisfied with the outcome.
‘‘It must have been a rough couple of days for him - he made a silly mistake.
‘‘I do feel for him.’’
Mr Armstrong said it was ‘‘sad’’ the incident had happened, but it was time to move on.
Gu, who had a clean criminal record, was ordered to pay $7510 reparation and was banned from driving for a year.
