The daughter of former All Blacks star Ron Cribb has pleaded guilty to a hit-and-run that left a 65-year-old man dead on a country road.
Helena Jade Cribb, 22, appeared in North Shore District Court on Thursday charged with the death of Jason Collins, who was found by a passerby on O’Brien Road in Lucas Heights, north of Auckland, on December 7, 2023.
Cribb, who works in advertising, was charged in April this year after hearing reports of Collins’ death and handing herself in to police.
On Thursday, he pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle in a careless manner and thereby causing Collins’ death, his lawyer Adam Holland told a local outlet. Stuff.
Cribb will be sentenced in December.
The court was told Cribb was “heavily intoxicated”, “slurred” and “aggressive” at a Christmas party on the night of the crash.
A co-worker had arranged for an Uber to drop Cribb off in her car downtown after she promised to only sleep in the car and charge her phone, not drive.
Daughter of All Blacks star Helena Jade Cribb, 22, was charged in April this year after hearing reports of Collins’ death and handing herself in to police.
Helena Jade Cribb has pleaded guilty to fatally running over Jason Collins (pictured) on a country road
However, when the Uber dropped her off at 11.28pm, Cribb got behind the wheel of the vehicle and began the 15-mile journey home.
Mr Cribb’s vehicle struck Mr Collins as he was driving on O’Brien Road, a rural tarmac road with a speed limit of 60km/h.
His body was dragged 31 metres by Cribb’s car and rolled a further seven metres on impact.
Mr Collins is known to have been lying in the roadway when he was hit, according to an examination of the scene.
“We will never know how he came to be lying in the street,” Judge Murray previously told the court.
Mr Collins suffered serious internal injuries to his head and body which would likely have been fatal even if Cribb had stopped immediately to help him.
There were no witnesses to the accident and Mr Collins’ body was discovered in the early hours of 7 December.
Cribb went to police after seeing news of Collins’ death, but said he did not know if he had hit anyone.
She only remembered feeling a big bump, similar to hitting a pothole, as she turned up the volume on the radio.
The underside of Cribb’s car was significantly damaged, causing it to break down the following morning.
Cribb, the 22-year-old daughter of All Blacks star Ron Cribb (pictured in 2007), is due to be sentenced in December for careless driving.
Pieces of plastic from the underside of the car were later found at the scene.
Police said the crash was likely caused because Cribb was distracted while adjusting her radio.
Collins’ family said he was a beloved father, husband and friend.
“The tragic loss of Jason has left an unfillable void in our hearts,” they said.
‘His departure, taken from us too soon, is a profound and senseless blow that we find difficult to understand.
“Every day is a battle against the overwhelming emptiness that is left in its wake.”
