A judge has refused bail for a man charged over a fatal crash involving a police car, saying his mental health poses too much of a risk to the public.
Michael Plimmer, 71, died instantly when a jeep driven by Cornelius Klein landed on his vehicle in Auckland in February this year.
Mr Klein is alleged to have rammed a police car from behind while mentally deranged, causing an eight-car pile-up.
A psychiatric assessment has found Mr Klein fit to plead, and he denied a charge of dangerous driving when he appeared at North Shore District Court on Friday.
However, Judge Thomas Everitt ordered that a further risk assessment be carried out.
The judge says Mr Klein has the propensity to behave abominably and had displayed an appalling sense of responsibility by failing to take his medication.
The court was told it is not the first time Mr Klein is alleged to have used a motor vehicle to attack people. Judge Everitt said he was not prepared to risk the public's safety by granting the accused bail.
The Crown says police are having difficulty over whether to lay a manslaughter or murder charge, and the matter has been referred to the Solicitor-General.
