Dad’s pain at losing wee angel
The grieving father of a 5-year-old Oamaru girl killed in a car crash has spoken of the horror day that claimed his ‘‘wee angel’’.
The sentencing of Jing Cao, 32, of China, in the Dunedin District Court to 22 months’ jail, would never ‘‘bring our Ruby back,’’ the Marris family said yesterday.
The family called for the Government to regulate the hiring and licensing of all rental vehicles to overseas tourists.
‘‘We do not want any more families to have to go through the pain and suffering we have been through.’’
Tristan Marris told the court that Cao, 32, had checked his cellphone at the crash scene while his daughter took her last breath.
His emotional pain was such that it took three people to hold him down despite having a broken back.
His wife Kimberley, who was not at court, also suffered a broken back while their two other children Georgia, 9, and Sophie, 7, suffered moderate injuries.
Reading from his victim impact statement, which was pink, his late daughter’s favourite colour, he told of a family shopping outing to Dunedin that ended in tragedy.
That outing ended on State Highway One near Moeraki, when Marris saw a Ford Ranger driven by Cao coming towards him on the wrong side of the road.
‘‘Then there was silence followed by extreme pain.’’
His broken body could not get out of his mangled vehicle. Other motorists helped get his family out.
As smoke poured through his car, Marris crawled over the backseat despite his broken back.
Lying on the ground he saw Cao checking his cellphone despite the anguished cry of his wife and their three daughters.
‘‘I saw Ruby getting paler and paler
‘‘Her wee body could not stand the impact . . . Ruby was dying in her mother’s arms and you walked past twice on your phone while she was dying.’’
Marris could not understand how Cao forgot ‘‘the most important road rule in New Zealand . . . to keep left’’.
The crash caused immense physical and mental anguish for his family. He drove past the crash site six times a week and ‘‘it is very hard . . . you have no idea’’.
‘‘Burying Ruby eleven days after the accident was the worst day of my life. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive you.’’
In addition to his prison sentence, Cao was disqualified from driving for four years, and must pay emotional harm repayments of $61,000 to the Marris family, Judge Kevin Phillips ordered. .
Judge Phillips said Cao was an experienced driver in China. He said Cao crossed over a solid yellow line in good weather conditions.
‘‘This was not just a quick veer-over, you travelled hundreds of metres before impacting the Marris’ car.’’
Judge Phillips said he had no doubt Cao was deeply remorseful, and had been advised not to make contact with the family but ‘‘that aggravated the situation’’.
‘‘While you drive on the right side of the road in China, I do not accept that as a reason.’’
An interpreter was used in court for Cao, who stood and offered an apology to the family, bowing deeply several times.
Cao understood why Ruby’s family would never forgive him and he could not forgive himself either. ‘‘He owes your family his life,’’ his interpreter said.
Cao then said in English ‘‘I am sorry, very, very sorry’’.
Ruby died in a head-on crash, near the Moeraki boulders, late on Saturday, February 21.
The crash was about 200 metres north of the turnoff to Moeraki township, on State Highway 1 between Oamaru and Dunedin.