Teen in court over fatal crash
A 19-year-old man has appeared in court over the deaths of two sisters in a fiery crash in Christchurch’s Port Hills.
The crash happened on Summit Rd about 11pm on November 27.
Ashburton teen Tayla Alexander, 17, died at the scene, and her sister Sunmara Alexander, then 15, was critically injured with extensive burns. Sunmara died on December 13 – her 16th birthday – at Middlemore Hospital in Auckland.
The 19-year-old man appeared before Judge Quentin Hix in the Christchurch District Court yesterday. He is facing two charges of dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing injury, and driving without the appropriate licence.
The teen, who has interim name suppression, entered no plea through his lawyer, Andrew McCormick, and was remanded at large until July 2.
The girls’ father, Jason Alexander, was seated in the back of the court room for the appearance.
Jason Alexander said outside court that he still went to the cemetery every day to see his daughters.
‘‘I miss them so much,’’ he said.
‘‘I just want justice done and make sure this doesn’t happen again.’’
Alexander was still coming to terms with the impact of his daughters’ deaths.
‘‘There’s no 21st speeches for me, I don’t get to walk the daughters up the aisle, I’m never going to have grandchildren; when I die, that’s my bloodline gone.’’
Canterbury metro area commander Superintendent Lane Todd earlier said police’s thoughts were with the family and friends of the two girls who had died.
‘‘This was a devastating event and a tragic reminder to all drivers of the need to drive safely and to the conditions,’’ he said.