Teen enters guilty plea after crash
"The key part will be how you can make right. I hope the restorative justice process assists this matter." Palmerston North District Court Judge Lance Rowe
A teenager who killed a passenger through her careless driving may keep an unblemished record, with her lawyer saying a discharge without conviction might be applied for.
Lydia Rose Teal, 17, pleaded guilty in the Palmerston North District Court on Tuesday to charges of careless driving causing injury and death.
But Judge Lance Rowe did not enter convictions after hearing from defence lawyer Richard Bedford, who said Teal had no previous convictions.
‘‘I’m hoping that, depending on the outcome of restorative justice, I would like to keep all options open at this stage,’’ Bedford said.
Teal’s charges relate to a crash near Bunnythorpe in Manawatu¯ on May 27, which claimed the life of 17-year-old Joshua Brian Mcginty, known as Josh.
The Palmerston North teenager was a passenger in a Mazda Teal as it drove along Te Ngaio Rd about 10.45pm.
Teal, who had a restricted driver’s licence, failed to give way properly at the intersection of Kairanga Bunnythorpe Rd.
Her car was hit by another, causing Mcginty injuries that ultimately claimed his life on June 2.
The driver of the other car suffered a broken wrist.
Bedford said Teal’s level of culpability was ‘‘relatively low’’, with evidence showing there was damage to the road, which contributed to the crash.
‘‘The defendant had to think very carefully about how to proceed.’’
She did not want to drag matters out for Mcginty’s family, he said.
Teal also wanted to attend restorative justice with the family, and the driver of the other car.
Teal had interim name suppression until Tuesday’s district court appearance, but Bedford said she accepted there were no grounds for it to continue.
The judge said Teal, the other driver and Mcginty’s family should talk about an appropriate outcome.
‘‘The key part will be how you can make right,’’ Judge Rowe said.
‘‘I hope the restorative justice process assists this matter.’’
Teal was remanded at large until her sentencing date in November.
Mcginty’s father, Brian Mcginty, previously told the Standardjosh was ’’a kindnatured, lovely young man’’ who enjoyed cars and tattoos.
‘‘He was just starting to make his way,’’ he said.
Just before his death, Josh Mcginty had started a new job building farm shelters.
One of the first goals he wanted achieve after getting the job was to buy his own car, Brian Mcginty said.
‘‘He was such a good worker, such a hard worker, and had a really good work ethic as well.’’
Brian Mcginty said his son was much loved by both his family and friends.
‘‘He’s going to be really sadly missed.’’