3 Mar 2015

Taiwanese driver appears in court

4:31 pm on 3 March 2015

A Taiwanese tourist who ran a stop sign in a rental van, killing her passenger father, has admitted two charges in the Christchurch District Court.

Chia-Fang Chu.

Chia-Fang Chu outside Christchurch District Court. Photo: RNZ / Sally Murphy

Chia-Fang Chu, 39, went through a stop sign at the intersection of Dawsons Road and Johns Road in Templeton, hitting a 4-wheel-drive, on 18 February.

Today Chu pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle carelessly causing death of her father, Fu-Hwa Ju, 66, and to operating a motor vehicle carelessly causing injury to her mother, Mei-Yu Chu Yeh.

The teacher's lawyer Josh Lucas said it was an accident and a momentary lack of judgement.

Mr Lucas said Chu's father insisted on the trip to help Chu, who was suffering from depression following the death of her own partner in a motorcycle crash.

Chu has been remanded on bail until Friday.