Guilty pleas to critical crash
A 73-year-old woman has appeared in court in relation to a head-on crash north of Taranaki which left a mother-of-four with critical injuries.
Ray Hayward, his wife Berna and Monique Matthews were travelling north together on State Highway 3 when the vehicle they were in collided with another near the intersection of Ye Old Mill Rd, Mo¯ kau, on October 5.
The Taranaki trio, all entertainers, were heading to O¯ torohanga where they were due to perform a gig that evening.
But around 2pm an oncoming southbound vehicle driven by Andrea Kaye Jarrold fishtailed across both lanes, which led to the two vehicles colliding.
Matthews and the Haywards were flown by helicopter from the scene to Waikato Hospital, while Jarrold and her husband, the vehicle’s only other occupant, were transferred to Taranaki Base Hospital by ambulance.
Matthews, who has three biological children and one foster child with husband Lee, suffered life-threatening injuries.
She underwent multiple major surgeries and remained in hospital for weeks. The singer used to perform for a living – now her voice is just a whisper.
The Haywards both sustained serious injuries and were also hospitalised for a time.
According to the police summary of facts, moments before the crash Jarrold came around a moderate bend but found herself too close to the shoulder of the road.
Trying to pull the vehicle back into her lane, she over-corrected and lost control, fishtailing across both lanes.
Ray, who was at the wheel of the Haywards’ Raybern Entertainment van, attempted to avoid Jarrold by swerving right but the two cars met head on in the centre of the highway.
Jarrold and her husband also suffered serious injuries, and both vehicles were heavily damaged. She told police she had fallen asleep at the wheel.
However, when spoken to later, Jarrold said: ‘‘I must have got too close to the side of the road and hit some gravel.
‘‘I tried to steer back on to the road but turned too far to the right and I lost control.’’
Yesterday, she appeared in New Plymouth District Court where she admitted causing the crash.
Standing in the dock with the aid of a walking stick, Jarrold pleaded guilty to four counts of careless or inconsiderate vehicle operation.
Community Magistrate Sherida Cooper recorded the guilty pleas and bailed Jarrold at large until January 23.
The case was referred to restorative justice.