Motorcycle crash

An accident in which a riderless motorcycle crashed into another motorcycle, breaking that motorcycle rider’s left foot, brought a 41yearold man before Judge Michael Turner on Tuesday.

Taiki Jade Hira, employed, of Dunedin, had pleaded guilty to careless use causing injury.

Prosecutor Sergeant Chris George said Hira was riding a HarleyDavidson motorcycle with a group of about 20 motorcyclists in close convoy, on State Highway 1, about 11am on May 19.

Hira was at the rear of the group. In a series of bends just south of Milton, he lost control on a moderate righthand bend. Realising he had done so, he jumped off the motorbike and rolled off the road into a ditch. The riderless motorcycle swerved to the right and crashed into another machine and its rider, causing that bike to slide down the road and its rider to suffer a broken left foot.

Hira said he had tried to avoid a piece of slick road, hit the white line on side of road and lost control.

Counsel Sally McMillan said the victim was Hira’s brotherinlaw. Hira had apologised to him and had also made reparation to the owner of the motorcycle he was riding.

Judge Turner noted it was Hira’s first time on the road on the bike. He took into account the factor of inexperience and said Hira had made a mistake.

Hira was convicted, fined $900, court costs $130, and disqualified from driving for six months.