Avneet Kaur, Auckland
Hollywood actor Cliff Curtis will not personally appear at the Auckland District Court on Thursday for his first hearing over last month’s waterfront crash, with the actor excused while he continues recovering from internal injuries.
The confirmation has come just a day before the scheduled court appearance, along with a fresh statement from Curtis in which he apologised over the collision.
“I made a devastating mistake, and I’ll have to live with the consequences and do what I can to address the harm caused. I am deeply sorry,” Curtis said.
“My thoughts are with the injured taxi driver and his family.”
Curtis is due before the Auckland District Court on October 15 on charges of reckless driving and driving with excess blood alcohol. The charges are before the court and have not been proven.
His representatives confirmed he has been excused from attending the first appearance because he is still recovering at home from internal injuries.
The case relates to the September 23 crash near Jellicoe and Halsey Streets on Auckland’s waterfront.
The NZ Today reported on October 6 that Indian-origin Uber driver Gagandeep Singh had suffered serious injuries in the collision.
Singh said he had just dropped off a passenger and had been stationary for only a few minutes when his Toyota Prius was struck.
Medical information shared with The NZ Today showed injuries including a cerebral contusion, scalp wound, multiple rib fractures, kidney injury, lumbar vertebra fracture and concussion.
Singh also said he required oxygen support for several days and was continuing to deal with flashbacks and short-term memory difficulties.
In that interview, Singh said Curtis had not visited him in hospital or met him after the crash.
Curtis had previously said he was deeply saddened by what happened and that he had helped injured people at the scene before emergency services arrived.
Source: Official statement from Cliff Curtis; previous reporting by The NZ Today.
