Driver jailed for dangerous driving that claimed lives of sisters
The father of two teenage girls killed in fiery crash on Christchurch’s Port Hills says he would have forgiven the driver if it was an accident – but it was ‘‘an act of pure stupidity’’.
Levi Phillip Fiddymont, 21, was sentenced to two years and four months’ imprisonment in the Christchurch District Court yesterday on two charges of dangerous driving causing the deaths of teenage sisters Tayla and Sunmara Alexander.
He was also sentenced on one count of dangerous driving causing injury to a third passenger in the car, and driving without an appropriate licence the night of the crash on November 27, 2019.
Reading his victim impact statement in court, Tayla and Sunmara’s father, Jason Alexander, said his daughters were ‘‘special young women’’ who loved life.
Tayla, 17, was a ‘‘kindred spirit’’ with a heart of gold, who always put others before herself. Sunmara, who died in hospital on her 16th birthday, was ‘‘a funloving kid’’ with a strong will and strong mind, who loved her friends and family, he said.
Alexander spoke of the trauma of losing his daughters, which left him unable to work for a year. ‘‘I could and would forgive you if this was just an accident. But this was not an accident, it was an act of pure stupidity,’’ he told Fiddymont. Fiddymont’s lawyer, Andrew McCormick, said the crash was a ‘‘tragic accident’’ that involved complicated legal issues as highlighted by the expert evidence that was heard during the trial. He said Fiddymont’s remorse was ‘‘clear and demonstrable’’.
Fiddymont had wanted to apologise to the victims’ family, but was advised by family and friends to be careful of what he said while police were investigating, McCormick said.
Fiddymont, who was 19 at the time of the crash, was charged several months after it happened.
Tayla Alexander died at the scene, while Sunmara was critically injured with extensive burns. A third passenger was seriously injured.
Sunmara spent more than two weeks in the critical care unit of Middlemore Hospital. She succumbed to her injuries on the day of her 16th birthday.
Fiddymont initially pleaded not guilty and opted to go to trial. In November, his trial started before a jury where experts were called to give evidence about the crash scene.
On the third day of the trial, the proceedings came to an abrupt end when Fiddymont unexpectedly pleaded guilty.