WELLINGTON - A Chinese tourist whose dangerous driving caused the death of a 5-year-old girl in a road crash in New Zealand was jailed for 18 months on Tuesday. The man named Jin Cao, 32, had pleaded guilty in April to dangerous driving causing the death of Ruby Marris and seriously injuring her parents and older sisters, Radio New Zealand reported.
Cao was driving his car on the wrong side of the road when he collided with the family's vehicle in north Otago, in the South Island in February.
The police summary of facts said Cao was tired after driving from Christchurch.
In an emotional hearing at the court in Dunedin, seven members of Ruby Marris' family told Cao how devastated they were by her death, said the report.
Cao then stood to tell the family, through an interpreter, of his deep sorrow and he bowed five times to the family.
Judge Kevin Phillips said Cao had not been paying sufficient attention while driving to realize he was on the wrong side of the road.
In sentencing, the judge also ordered him to pay about 61,000 NZ dollars (43,292 U.S. dollars) to the Marris family in reparations.
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