The driver of a bus that crashed near Gisborne, killing three members of a Tongan school group, has pleaded guilty to three charges of careless driving causing death.
Talakai Aholelei entered his pleas in the Auckland District Court on Friday.
Aholelei, 65, admitted to 27 counts of careless driving causing injury and three counts of careless driving causing death.
Aholelei was charged in April and initially pleaded not guilty in the Manukau District Court on June 9.
He will be sentenced in January.
The bus was carrying the Mailefihi Siu’ilikutapu College brass band, which was on a tour of New Zealand to raise funds for the school’s 70th anniversary.
It was on its way to a concert at Gisborne’s Wesleyan Methodist Church when it crashed down a steep embankment on State Highway 2, 30km south of the town.
Student Sione Taumololo, 11, and Talita Fifita, 33, died in the crash.
School teacher Leotisia Malakai, 55, died later in Waikato Hospital.
There were 53 students, teachers and supporters on the bus.
The main points
- The driver of a bus that crashed near Gisborne, killing three members of a Tongan school group, has pleaded guilty to three charges of careless driving causing death.
- Talakai Aholelei entered his pleas in the Auckland District Court on Friday.
- Aholeleie, 65, admitted to 27 counts of careless driving causing injury and three counts of careless driving causing death.
- He was charged in April and initially pleaded not guilty in the Manukau District Court on June 9.
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