A California doctor who fled the country after allegedly causing a head-on crash that injured a Queenstown woman may finally be named.
Raman Sidhar, 73, was charged with dangerous driving causing injury to Sarah Duane after the crash on Frankton Rd on January 27 this year.
He had until last night to file an appeal against Judge Jeff Rea’s decision in April to reject his application for continued anonymity.
No appeal has been filed.
Ms Duan suffered a fractured spine and her car was written off after the accident, which happened around 5am as she drove to the hotel where she works as a chef.
Although Sidhar cooperated with police at the scene and passed a breathalyzer test, he and his wife flew to Auckland later that day.
They were stuck there for two days due to weather-related flight disruptions before returning to the United States.
At his first hearing in the Queenstown District Court on March 13, he was granted temporary anonymity after his lawyer said reports by two media organizations had caused hardship for him and his family as a result of “abuse, intimidation and racism”. ” online.
At his third hearing on May 8, the court was told Sidhar had fired his Queenstown lawyer and refused to participate in restorative justice.
Police sought a warrant for his arrest, but Judge Catriona Doyle refused on the grounds that he had been remanded in custody until June 6 and he could get a new lawyer.
Police said they would change the charge to reckless driving causing bodily harm.
Source link – https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/queenstown/california-doctor-queenstown-crash-named