Jogger hit by driver at 95kmh

A vineyard worker who hit and killed a jogger in Blenheim had shared close to a dozen cans of 8.6 per cent beer with a friend before driving.

Kevin Paisa, of Samoa, picked up his friend about noon on December 27 last year and drove to Whites Bay, about 20 kilometres from Blenheim.

They started drinking at the beach, sharing three 500ml cans of beer. After a couple of hours, Paisa’s friend contacted his partner to bring them more beers.

She arrived with eight more cans of the same beer, and they continued to drink. About 8pm, she left Whites Bay.

Paisa and his friend headed back to Blenheim shortly after and stopped at KFC on Grove Rd.

Then Paisa headed home, driving south along Hutcheson St before turning right on John St, where he drove into 44-year-old jogger Nikolay Andreev, doing about 95kmh in a 50kmh zone.

Paisa, 29, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death, injury and refusing officers a blood specimen at the Blenheim District Court on Monday. He appears for sentencing in August.

A police summary of facts said visibility on the day was good and the weather conditions were fine.

Paisa was driving in a manner and at such a speed that caused him to lose control of the vehicle as he approached a corner, the summary said.

His vehicle mounted the footpath on the opposite side of the road, striking Andreev with such force that he suffered major trauma to several parts of his body, the summary said.

Paisa’s car then crossed to the other side of the road and went through a wooden fence.

He continued to travel at speed until his vehicle struck a large tree. It was only then that the vehicle came to a stop.

Paisa was apprehended by police a short time later and immediately showed signs of intoxication.

He provided a roadside breath screening test, which proved positive and was taken to the Blenheim Police Station where evidential breath and blood test procedures were initiated, however he refused to comply.

An examination of the crash scene was completed by police and ascertained the approximate speed of Paisa’s car prior to mounting the footpath was 94kmh.

About two seconds of data retrieved from the airbag control unit, indicated he was travelling about 76kmh before crashing into the tree.

Andreev was pronounced dead at the scene.