Manslaughter not-guilty plea over crash which killed man

Hayden Hurst appeared by audiovisual link in the High Court at Invercargill yesterday, where he...
Hayden Hurst appeared by audiovisual link in the High Court at Invercargill yesterday, where he pleaded not guilty to manslaughter. PHOTO: FELICITY DEAR
A Mount Pisa man has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter after a car crash at Arrow Junction that killed Royalburn Station's head butcher.

Hayden Richard Hurst, 29, appeared for the first time by audiovisual link in the High Court at Invercargill yesterday.

He is charged in relation to a crash on December 16 near the Crown Range turn-off on State Highway 6 that killed Outrega (Tre) Anderson.

Tre Anderson
Tre Anderson
Hurst was originally charged with drink-driving causing death and later an additional charge of drug-impaired driving causing death.

Court documents say Hurst, who was seriously injured in the two-car collision, had a blood-alcohol level of 131mg. The legal limit is 50mg.

The defendant was remanded on bail to next appear in June.

A trial date of August 25 next year was set.

felicity.dear@odt.co.nz