The judge in the trial of a truck driver who fatally hit a tourist cyclist in Christchurch has reserved his decision.
Photo: 123RF
David Peter Connell, who is on trial in the Christchurch District Court, has pleaded not guilty to one charge of careless driving causing death.
The 51-year-old was at a set of lights in Hornby at the corner of Carmen Road and Waterloo Road in September 2014; when the lights turned green, he moved forward to turn left.
Taiwanese cyclist Ming Ming Chih Hsieh was beside the truck and had started biking straight ahead when he was hit.
He was in New Zealand on holiday and was biking around the South Island.
The video of Mr Connell's first police interview was played in court this morning.
He said he checked both mirrors and the intersection before pulling out and simply did not see the cyclist.
Mr Connell told police he did not know Mr Hsieh was there until another driver told him he had hit someone, and he looked under his truck and saw a mangled bike.
The judge-alone trial is being presided over by Judge Gary MacAskill.
