Careless driving causing injury

‘‘I understand and appreciate the difficulties you were under . . . you would no doubt have been distracted by the pressures upon you. But you were in charge of a motor vehicle,’’ Judge Phillips said sentencing a man who, driving out of a car park, hit a hitchhiker.

‘‘He was there to be seen if you paid sufficient attention. He was wearing fluoro gear,’’ the judge told Lloyd Wayne Walsh (62), invalid beneficiary, of Dunedin.

Walsh had been convicted of careless driving causing injury, an offence he admitted.

The police summary said Walsh reversed out of a car park in Carters Rd, Amberley, to continue north, about 9.30am on April 10.

He stopped briefly beside the northbound lane to check no vehicles were approaching from behind.

Then, as he accelerated to enter the lane, he collided with the victim who was standing in front of his vehicle hitchhiking.

As a result of being hit by the car, the victim had fractured a bone in his foot and had difficulty walking unaided.

Walsh had been travelling to Reefton because a family member was dying.

Counsel Ann Leonard said Walsh was under extreme stress at the time.

He was extremely remorseful and had apologised to the victim.

In regard to victim impact material, the judge told Walsh ‘‘I’m told your response was it was his fault, not yours.

‘‘And you told him that as he lay injured on the roadside’’.

The victim had since had to return to Australia where he had support.

He would need ongoing treatment and surgery, the judge said.

The judge also rejected the submission the victim in any way contributed to the accident.

Walsh was sentenced to 40 hours’ community work and nine months’ driving disqualification.

He had no assets and would have difficulty attending and completing community work, the judge noted.