Drink-driver kills
Maurice John Wardle knows all too well how terrible it is to lose a family member to a drink-driver.
The Palmerston North District Court heard yesterday that Wardle’s brother died when the motorcycle he was riding was hit by a driver over the limit.
Now, the tables have tragically turned and 70-year-old Wardle found himself in the dock over a fatal crash on Boxing Day 2016.
He was sentenced on charges of drink-driving causing the death of motorcyclist Daimon Sattrup and injuring Samantha Harwood.
Sattrup died when Wardle drove his Toyota Hilux into him on a State Highway 3 bridge east of Ashhurst.
They both drove on the bridge about the same time, with Sattrup, riding between a Mazda and a Holden, heading in the opposite direction to Wardle.
The driver of the Mazda swerved left to avoid Wardle, who crossed the centre line and struck Sattrup.
The ute carried on, striking the Holden driven by Harwood, before flipping and coming to rest on the bridge.
Wardle, who had driven for 45 minutes before the crash, was taken to hospital and found to have 158 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood – well above the 50mg drink-drive limit.
Sattrup’s mother Rosina Sattrup-ritchie cried as she read her victim impact statement in court.
She and her husband were visiting New Zealand from Perth at the time of her son’s death.
‘‘My last text to him was ‘be safe’, but he never came home.’’
She was unable to return to work in the mines when she returned to Australia because of her grief, and depression took hold.
‘‘I can’t see myself being normal again for the rest of my life.
‘‘Life has changed in a way no family should have to experience.
‘‘What makes it worse is that a person of your age should have known better, but we all know what alcohol can do to your decision-making skills,’’ she told Wardle.
She was unable to accept Wardle’s apology as it would ‘‘not change what happened’’.
‘‘The decision you made on December 26, 2016, will impact many people for many years.’’
Defence lawyer Amy Graham said Wardle hated himself for what he had done, especially after what happened with his brother many years ago.
‘‘He is acutely aware of the pain and enormity of harm he has caused... Because of that, he knows his terrible decision to drive on Boxing Day last year is even more inexplicable.’’
She urged Judge Jim Large to impose home detention, citing Wardle’s age, remorse and health problems.
He suffered from Alzheimer’s and would have no nearby family support if sent to the highsupport unit at Rimutaka Prison, she said.
The judge said Wardle’s offending was made worse by the fact he had four previous convictions for drink-driving, most recently in 1999, as well as a conviction for refusing to provide a blood sample in 2009.
His brother dying in a motorcycle accident made last year’s crash ‘‘about as bad as it can get’’.
Large sentenced Wardle to 11 months’ home detention, taking into account Graham’s submissions.
He also disqualified Wardle from driving for five years, and ordered him to pay $10,000 reparation to Harwood and $15,000 reparation to Sattrup’s family.
‘‘My last text to him was ‘be safe’, but he never came home.’’ Daimon Sattrup’s mother Rosina Sattrup-ritchie