JOHN BISSET/Stuff
Continued name suppression has been granted for a man charged with the manslaughter driving death of a woman near Temuka.
A 60-year-old South Canterbury man has been charged with manslaughter over the death of a woman in a single vehicle crash near Temuka on February 13, 2022.
The man, who has interim name suppression, pleaded not guilty to two charges – laid alternatively – when he appeared before Justice Jonathan Eaton in the High Court in Timaru on Tuesday.
The charges are causing the death of the woman, also aged 60, by driving in a manner dangerous to the public and others, thereby committing manslaughter and drink-driving in the same incident in having a blood alcohol level of 98 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The limit is 80ml.
The vehicle involved in the crash was reported by police at the time to have crashed into a ditch on Factory Rd, near Temuka, at 4.30pm on February 13.
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The man’s lawyer Matthew Bonniface, standing in for Tim Jackson, sought continued name suppression with prosecutor Shawn McManus saying the Crown was “not currently opposed to” but would be raising the ongoing suppression matter at the next appearance.
Justice Eaton, who appeared via audiovisual link from Christchurch, told the defence that if suppression is to be continued past the next hearing, it would be incumbent on the defence to prove extreme hardship.
The defendant was remanded on continued bail to appear for a case review hearing on December 2.
