Surgeon to pay $165k to families
A United States heart surgeon who has dedicated his career to saving lives is having to come to terms with the reality that he caused the deaths of two men in a horrific car crash near Nelson.
Dr Kenneth Wolnak was on holiday with his wife Elizabeth when he attempted a U-turn on the Coastal Highway, between Nelson and Motueka, causing the three-car crash on February 27.
Wolnak was sentenced in Nelson District Court yesterday and ordered to pay the crash victims’ families a total of $165,000 for the emotional harm he has caused them.
Judge Richard Russell said it was one of the largest orders of its kind.
Wolnak pleaded guilty last month to two charges of careless use of a motor vehicle causing death and four charges of careless use causing injury.
Judge Russell said the crash was a direct result of Wolnak’s carelessness. Nelson father-of-two Steve Jayes, 41, and recently retired Christchurch man Kevin Whitburn, 69, died. Four others, including Whitburn’s wife Janet and Wolnak’s wife, were seriously injured.
Wolnak, an experienced cardiothoracic surgeon, took part in three restorative justice meetings with the families and Judge Russell said it appeared they held no animosity towards him. ‘‘There is an element of forgiveness from them towards you.’’
Defence lawyer Tony Bamford said Wolnak has had to reconcile his career dedicated to saving lives with the fact he’s taken the lives of two people.
Wolnak and his wife had ongoing medical treatment in Nelson region and wanted to contribute back to the community. Wolnak has proposed setting up a fund for an exchange programme for trainee surgeons in New Zealand at a teaching hospital in Wisconsin.