A Katikati man whose drunk driving killed a woman is likely to go to prison, a judge warned today.
Roy Tautahi Nathan, 29, bar manager, pleaded guilty in Tauranga District Court to a charge of driving with excess alcohol, causing the death of 57-year-old Jeannetta Van Heuckelum last September.
A blood sample showed he had 163 milligrams of alcohol to 100 millilitres of blood.
Refusing bail and remanding Nathan in custody until March 3 for sentencing, Judge Christopher Harding said home detention would be inappropriate.
The maximum penalty is five years in jail with minimum disqualification from driving set at one year.
Prosecuting Sergeant Sean Brennan said Mrs Van Heuckelum was driving from Katikati on State Highway 2 about 6.20am on Sunday, September 28, on her way to work at Tauranga Hospital.
Nathan was heading home after a night out socialising.
At Apata, he approached the crest of a slight rise in the road as Mrs Van Heuckelum was coming from the other side. She was in the left lane with a passing lane on her right.
Mr Brennan said Nathan's vehicle veered to the right, crossing both the centre line and the passing lane before crashing head on into the other car.
His victim died at the scene and he was taken to hospital with broken ribs.
When spoken to by police, Nathan refused to give any explanation of why his vehicle had crossed the centre line.
Lawyer Bill Nabney said his client had not refused - he had no memory of what happened.
However, when he saw the police summary of facts it was obvious he was at fault and he fully accepted responsibility, hence the guilty plea.
It was Nathan's first appearance before the court, Mr Nabney said.
