Driver of fatal crash pleads guilty

The driver of a car that turned into oncoming traffic at a notorious Hamilton intersection, fatally injuring his friend in the front passenger seat in the ensuing crash, has pleaded guilty to a charge of careless driving causing death.

Andrew John De Baugh, 19, of Gordonton, appeared in the Hamilton District Court yesterday, where through his counsel Thomas Sutcliffe he admitted to causing the death of Jayden Peter Braniff, 23, on Friday, July 20.

He also plead guilty to three charges of careless driving causing injury to two other passengers in his car and the driver of the car he hit at the corner of Gordonton Rd and Thomas Rd at 7.20pm.

De Baugh was convicted by community magistrate Stevan Coles and remanded at large to come back to court for his sentencing on January 31.

Coles also directed that a restorative justice conference take place. De Baugh had been the driver of a BMW 323 on Gordonton Rd that night. He slowed and indicated he was turning into Thomas Rd. However as he did so he pulled into the path of a Honda CRV that was travelling north.

The resulting impact spun the BMW into the path of another car, which hit it. Braniff suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. The driver of the other car and two other passengers in De Baugh’s vehicle suffered a range of injuries and were taken to Waikato Hospital, as was De Baugh himself, who was treated for shock.