US tourist Brett Reck appeared in the Nelson District Court on a charge of driving dangerously, following an accident in which he drove on the wrong side of the road for 10 minutes. Photo: LinkedIn
An American tourist who had been driving on the wrong side of the road for at least 10 minutes before hitting an oncoming car towing a jetski told police it was the side of the road he was used to driving on.
The finance company manager in Washington DC, Brett Douglas Reck, appeared in the Nelson District Court this morning, delaying his planned return flight to the US to admit a charge of dangerous driving in relation to Friday night's crash.
Judge Tony Zohrab said in convicting him it was an "appalling piece of driving" that was not a momentary incursion but a long period at which other people had been put at risk.
Today, the court sought proof that he had deposited close to $26,000 into a lawyer's trust account as a contribution towards reparation, of which a final amount was yet to be determined.
Police had sought bail that would have prevented Reck from leaving the country as planned, to allow them to investigate whether his driving had been affected by alcohol.
Reck appeared on Friday night to be intoxicated, police said, but would be leaving the country sooner than the alcohol blood tests would be completed, despite requests to expedite the process.
The 42-year-old had been in New Zealand on a three-week holiday with his wife and young child.
Just before 10pm he was driving his rented Toyota north on the Shenandoah Highway, State Highway 65, near Murchison. The area of rural highway has a 100km/hr speed limit, has no lighting and frequent corners.
Reck was driving in the right-hand lane for at least 10 minutes. Despite a following vehicle flashing its headlights and sounding a horn, he did not adjust his driving and move to the left lane, police said.
The oncoming Subaru towing a jet ski trailer swerved to avoid Reck, whose car hit the left side of the Subaru and its trailer.
Reck's vehicle rolled and was severely damaged, as was the Subaru, which had its rear wheel and trailer sheared off.
The impact catapulted the jet ski off the trailer along with a large metal box that was on top of the jet ski. Mountain bikes on the vehicle were also damaged.
Reck told police he was tired and driving on the wrong side of the road because he was used to driving on the right.
Police said Reck was seen to have thrown a beer can from the car at the scene, and appeared to be intoxicated, although Reck's lawyer John Sandston said he did not recall throwing the can, because he was dizzy from the crash.
Reck was taken to hospital to be checked for injuries, and blood was taken for analysis of a blood alcohol level.
Sandston said Reck had told him he had been drinking alcohol beforehand, which meant he may well lose his insurance cover.
Sandston said Reck faced losing his job if he was delayed longer, and he and his wife's young child was high-needs and required both parents for around-the-clock care.
"He said he could have left the country and not turn up but he chose to do the right thing and he feels bad about what happened," Sandston said.
Judge Zohrab said despite the court being asked to put off Reck's departure so the matter could be finalised it was not clear how long that might take.
He said the police accepted the pressure placed on the family if he was detained.
"At this stage, we've done the best we can to arrange reparation.
"I will leave it to you to resolve the issue of personal liability," Judge Zohrab said.
He disqualified Reck from driving for 15 months and fined him $1500.
*This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.