Murray Wilson/Stuff
Laura Brown appeared in the Palmerston North District Court on Wednesday, where her application for a limited licence was granted. Judge Lance Rowe said he was satisfied not granting Brown’s limited licence application would lead to extreme or undue hardship. No further details were given in court. Outside court Brown confirmed the licence was so she could go to work, but she declined to comment further. At the time of the fatal crash she was a Waka Kotaki NZ Transport Agency employee. She was also driving alone, with no L plates displayed, in breach of the learner licence she held for nine years.
Brown was breaching her learner’s licence, which she had held for nine years, by not having a fully licenced driver in the passenger seat and having no L-plates displayed. She saw the light of Bell’s approaching motorcycle, but thought she had enough time to cross. She did not, and the motorcycle hit the side of her car. The force ripped the front wheel and steering from the motorcycle, while Bell was thrown up to 30 metres. He died later that afternoon in hospital. Jane said her and Bell’s daughter, aged 5 months at the time of the crash, would have few photos and memories to remember her father by.
Brown, breaching the learner licence she had been on for nine years by driving without L-plates and a fully licensed driver, was heading south from Palmerston North towards Rangiotu. She moved into a right turning bay to turn on to Rangiotu Rd and saw the headlight of Bell’s motorcycle. She misjudged the distance, turning into his path. He hit her Toyota on the front passenger side, the force of the crash ripping the front wheel and steering from his motorcycle. Bell, who was travelling between 44kmh and 68kmh at the time of the crash, was thrown as far as 30 metres.