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Widow of motorcyclist killed in crash confronts foreign driver
Hamish McNeilly 17:10, June 3 2016
Singaporean Wei Kiong Lew, 30, in the dock of the Dunedin District Court.
The wife of a motorcyclist killed in a collision with a foreign driver told him "you are solely responsible for my child being fatherless and me being a widow".
Singaporean Wei Kiong Lew, 30, cried in the dock as Nicola Chambers read from her Victim Impact Statement in the Dunedin District Court on Friday afternoon.
Lew was driving a rental car when he crossed double yellow lines into the path of six vehicles near Hampden, south of Oamaru, on November 29.
Motorcyclist Craig Alan Chambers, 39, of Motueka, died at the scene.
READ MORE:
* Tourist drove at 120kmh
* Inattention to blame for crash, police say
* Foreign driver accused of fatal smash pleads not guilty
Chambers had attended the Burt Munro Challenge in Invercargill, and was just 20 minutes away from his stop for the day when the crash happened.
"He was heading home," Nicola Chambers said,
"I wonder what Craig's last thought was at that moment."
Chambers, addressing Lew directly in the dock, told him his driving on the wrong side of the road, his speed, and the choices he made "determined Craig's death".
She had visited the crash scene, and noted the tyre marks indicating how her husband tried to evade Lew's oncoming vehicle.
The crash had impacted on her and her family, especially their 7-year-old daughter who told people her father's killer was in jail.
"Our daughter is feeling so much loss and sadness."
Chambers said she loved her husband, who was a friend, a soul mate, and a wonderful father.
Everything was coming together for the family, but Lew's actions "took that from us".
She missed her husband's snoring, tickle fights with their daughter in bed, and sometimes listened to his voicemail just to hear his voice again.
"We were supposed to grow old together."
Lew, who was supported by two Singaporean colleagues, was deeply affected by the crash, his lawyer Anne Stevens said.
Lew, a senior analyst at the Singapore Energy Market Authority, pleaded guilty in April to aggravated careless use of a motor vehicle causing death, and three counts of aggravated careless causing injury.
The court heard Lew was holidaying in New Zealand with his partner and was driving a rental car when he crossed onto the wrong side of the road.
A series of vehicles swerved to avoid him, but he clipped the wing mirror of a motorcycle and another vehicle.
Four other vehicles were struck, including Chambers' Harley Davidson.
Lew was travelling at 120kmh at the time of the crash and did not brake.
He had no recollection of being on the other side of the road, with his lawyer arguing he may suffer from sleep apnoea.
Lew's partner was airlifted to Dunedin Hospital, and returned to Singapore on December 19 for further treatment of a head injury.
Judge Kevin Phillips said fatigue combined with speed was a lethal combination on New Zealand roads.
"The tragedy unfolded very quickly.
"You fell asleep and and you cannot remember what has occurred."
Judge Phillips sentenced Lew to four months' home detention and 200 hours' community work, disqualified him from driving, and ordered him to pay $27,000 for emotional harm.
Hamish McNeilly 17:10, June 3 2016
The wife of a motorcyclist killed in a collision with a foreign driver told him "you are solely responsible for my child being fatherless and me being a widow".
Singaporean Wei Kiong Lew, 30, cried in the dock as Nicola Chambers read from her Victim Impact Statement in the Dunedin District Court on Friday afternoon.
Lew was driving a rental car when he crossed double yellow lines into the path of six vehicles near Hampden, south of Oamaru, on November 29.
SUPPLIED/JAMES GUNN
Motorcyclist Craig Alan Chambers died after a southbound car collided with oncoming traffic south of Oamaru.Motorcyclist Craig Alan Chambers, 39, of Motueka, died at the scene.
READ MORE:
* Tourist drove at 120kmh
* Inattention to blame for crash, police say
* Foreign driver accused of fatal smash pleads not guilty
Chambers had attended the Burt Munro Challenge in Invercargill, and was just 20 minutes away from his stop for the day when the crash happened.
"He was heading home," Nicola Chambers said,
"I wonder what Craig's last thought was at that moment."
Chambers, addressing Lew directly in the dock, told him his driving on the wrong side of the road, his speed, and the choices he made "determined Craig's death".
She had visited the crash scene, and noted the tyre marks indicating how her husband tried to evade Lew's oncoming vehicle.
The crash had impacted on her and her family, especially their 7-year-old daughter who told people her father's killer was in jail.
"Our daughter is feeling so much loss and sadness."
Chambers said she loved her husband, who was a friend, a soul mate, and a wonderful father.
Everything was coming together for the family, but Lew's actions "took that from us".
She missed her husband's snoring, tickle fights with their daughter in bed, and sometimes listened to his voicemail just to hear his voice again.
"We were supposed to grow old together."
Lew, who was supported by two Singaporean colleagues, was deeply affected by the crash, his lawyer Anne Stevens said.
Lew, a senior analyst at the Singapore Energy Market Authority, pleaded guilty in April to aggravated careless use of a motor vehicle causing death, and three counts of aggravated careless causing injury.
The court heard Lew was holidaying in New Zealand with his partner and was driving a rental car when he crossed onto the wrong side of the road.
A series of vehicles swerved to avoid him, but he clipped the wing mirror of a motorcycle and another vehicle.
Four other vehicles were struck, including Chambers' Harley Davidson.
Lew was travelling at 120kmh at the time of the crash and did not brake.
He had no recollection of being on the other side of the road, with his lawyer arguing he may suffer from sleep apnoea.
Lew's partner was airlifted to Dunedin Hospital, and returned to Singapore on December 19 for further treatment of a head injury.
Judge Kevin Phillips said fatigue combined with speed was a lethal combination on New Zealand roads.
"The tragedy unfolded very quickly.
"You fell asleep and and you cannot remember what has occurred."
Judge Phillips sentenced Lew to four months' home detention and 200 hours' community work, disqualified him from driving, and ordered him to pay $27,000 for emotional harm.
