Helena Cribb Sentenced to Eight Months Home Detention After Fatal Hit-and-Run
Helena Cribb, the 23-year-old daughter of former All Black Ron Cribb, has been sentenced to eight months of home detention after causing the tragic death of 65-year-old Jason Collins in a hit-and-run last December.
Appearing tearfully in North Shore District Court, Cribb addressed the family of the victim, offering an emotional apology for her actions. “I am so terribly sorry,” Cribb said, expressing deep sorrow and regret for her role in the accident. She had been driving home from a work Christmas function when she fatally struck Collins on a rural road in North Shore. Initially, Cribb thought she had hit a pothole, but later discovered she had dragged Collins 30 meters under her car.
The victim’s widow, Gemma Collins, spoke in court, describing the devastation of losing her husband. She accused Cribb of showing “chilling disregard” for Jason’s life, highlighting how Cribb fled the scene after the crash despite the extensive damage to her car. She described Jason Collins as more than a husband – a sanctuary for their three sons.
Cribb, who had been drinking heavily before the incident, pleaded guilty to charges of operating a vehicle carelessly causing death while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The court also heard how she failed to stop and offer assistance after hitting Collins, leaving him to die on the roadside.
The emotional toll on Jason Collins’ family was clear in their statements, with his son Max describing the day of his father’s death as the “worst day of my life.” The family spoke of the unfillable void left by Collins’ tragic and untimely death.
Cribb, supported by her father and former rugby star Ron Cribb, expressed her deep remorse in court, acknowledging that her actions could never be undone. Judge Paul Murray, noting Cribb’s lack of criminal history, sentenced her to eight months’ home detention, disqualified her from driving for 18 months, and ordered her to pay $10,000 in emotional reparations.
While the legal consequences were imposed, the emotional scars of the loss for Jason Collins’ family remain, as they continue to grapple with the senseless and profound impact of the tragedy.