Runaway van driver convicted and fined
Andrew Charles Cundy, who was found guilty of careless operation of a motor vehicle causing death last month, failed to escape conviction in Tauranga District Court today.
Judge Robert Wolff ordered Cundy, 40, of Pyes Pa to pay $5000 to the family of his victim, Shi Jun Zhang.
The summary of facts detailed how Cundy parked his work van uphill at the top of a steep driveway in Castlewold Drive, Bethlehem, in October 2010, and applied the handbrake with an ``extra click'' to ensure it held. However, he failed to park the van in gear or turn the van's wheels away from the kerb, as recommended in the New Zealand Road Code.
About 10 or 15 minutes later the handbrake failed and the van careered down the driveway and across the road at speed,
collecting Mr Zhang and pinning him to the ground.
