A Dunedin man has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his partner, who died after falling from a moving trailer.
Andrew Jayden Mercer, 32, appeared before the High Court at Dunedin this morning where he accepted culpability over the death of Robert Douglas Ralston as well as a count of refusing to undertake a compulsory impairment test.
The details of the case were revealed for the first time today.
On March 29, Mercer had been at a Brockville address with Mr Ralston when an argument erupted.
The defendant, who only holds a learner licence, got into his Toyota and drove past the victim who then walked into the middle of the road.
Mercer responded by driving at Mr Ralston before swerving to avoid a collision.
The victim threw a stick at the car as he left the scene, the court heard.
Hours later, Mercer returned to the Turnbull St address, this time towing a trailer of firewood.
The verbal spat continued and Mr Ralston threw a block of wood, smashing one of the car’s windows.
As the defendant pulled away, court documents detailed how the victim climbed onto the draw bar and hauled himself onto the cage.
Mercer, initially unaware his partner was clinging on, turned into Brockville Rd and where a tyre on the trailer burst.
After about 100m, Mr Ralston jumped off and sustained serious head injuries as he hit the road.
Mercer was described as “very upset” at the scene, and immediately stopped to render assistance to his injured partner.
Court documents noted he passed a breath-alcohol test but there were concerns he was intoxicated from drug use.
While he refused to take an impairment test, he later admitted to using methamphetamine an hour before the incident.
Mr Ralston was placed on life support but succumbed to his injuries the following month.
Mercer was granted bail following his guilty pleas yesterday and will be sentenced in December.
