No sleep, 800km drive a fatal mix

mother, Lisa Lemaire, said the family was struggling to understand why Grey decided to drive when she was so impaired.

‘‘She hadn’t slept since [the previous] morning, and drove all the way from Northland down [to Wellington], and then because she was bored decided to go for another drive. And I just think that’s a choice.’’

Lemaire was not angry with Grey, but said she needed to be held accountable. She understood several other drivers tried to get Grey’s attention.

‘‘She drove very impaired, like if she had been drunk or on drugs, basically – driving fatigued is the same thing, and we can’t just say, ‘sorry, I was tired’.’’

The family was coping with the loss but it had been particularly difficult on Jacksonseligman-lemaire’s fiancee, Whetu Nuku. The couple had a 2-year-old daughter, Delta-breaz Jackson-nuku.

Jackson-seligman-lemaire’s stepfather, Richard Bremford, said Grey’s guilty plea helped to bring some sort of closure.

‘‘I couldn’t have seen her pleading not guilty to the charge. She was driving on the wrong side of the road for 13.5km, so it’s just closure for that.’’

Grey had argued for continued name suppression, claiming she had received threats from Jackson-seligman-lemaire’s family on social media, but Judge Hobbs said there was no evidence of direct or indirect threats.

He also noted the family already knew who Grey was, so suppressing her name would have no effect.

‘‘I can’t imagine anyone’s going to chase people down – it’s not that kind of thing,’’ Bremford said. ‘‘We were really just all upset that Sam got taken away from us so early.’’

Lemaire said one person may have vented on social media, but the family was not angry at Grey.

Jackson-seligman-lemaire’s stepmother, Katherine Kelly, said she was pleased Grey had pleaded guilty. ‘‘I just don’t know what was going through her mind.’’

Grey has been remanded at large and will reappear in Wellington District Court for sentencing on May 29.

Caroline Perry, director of road safety charity Brake, said driving while fatigued could have tragic consequences.

‘‘Driving tired is extremely risky and puts your own life and the lives of others at risk. Every year on our roads fatigue results in needless deaths and serious injuries.’’