Truck Driver Sentenced for Blenheim Crash That Killed RSE Worker

A truck driver, Robert Wayne Clifford, was involved in a collision that killed one person and injured five others while using his cellphone, despite having been caught for the same offense four times previously. Experts noted that he showed no signs of braking before crashing into a van carrying workers from Kiribati. The impact, occurring at over 70 km/h, propelled the van approximately 160 meters, resulting in the death of Kaiea Taubakoa, who was seated in the rear. The other injured individuals included seasonal workers who had recently arrived in Marlborough for the vineyard season.

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