$1250 to go to victims

One of the directors of Patagonia Chocolates has been ordered to pay $1250 to two victims of a car crash she caused last year near Arrowtown.

Lorena Rosana Giallonardo (43), of Arrow Junction, earlier admitted careless driving causing injury to Triona Cleary on December 11 on Lake Hayes-Arrow Junction Rd.

Ms Cleary is a daughter of late Irish billionaire businessman Eamon Cleary.

In the Queenstown District Court yesterday, Judge Bernadette Farnan accepted Giallonardo - who had no recollection of the crash - was ``very remorseful''.

At 3.45pm Giallonardo, who had her son in the vehicle with her, was driving east along State Highway 6, near Amisfield, when she struck the rear of Ms Cleary's car and pushed it on to the other side of the road, where it was struck head-on by another car.

Ms Cleary's vehicle slid about 30m and then caught fire. She sustained a broken arm which required surgery.

The court was told Giallonardo had not even had a parking ticket during her 15 years in New Zealand and had not consumed alcohol that day.

``She's not been cleared to drive or work since the accident happened ... she's not going to be cleared to drive for some time,'' defence counsel Jenna Riddle said.

Judge Farnan described it as ``a most unfortunate accident''.

Giallonardo was ordered to make an emotional harm payment of $1000 to Ms Cleary and $250 to the driver of the other vehicle involved, who was not seriously injured.

She was also ordered to pay $130 court costs and disqualified for six months.


 

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