Courier convicted over death

A courier driver who was distracted by his pager and crashed into an oncoming car, killing Wakefield mother Michelle Hook, has been convicted of careless driving causing death.

Kenneth Douglas McLeod, 30, a Post Haste courier driver, was remanded in the Nelson District Court on Monday until November 17 for sentencing.

The court previously heard McLeod was driving his courier van along State Highway 6 south of Wakefield about 3.30pm on September 11, when he was distracted by his pager sounding and he looked down, swerving across the centre line, hitting Mrs Hook's car.

The mother of three boys was then trapped in the car with severe injuries, and died not long after her arrival at Nelson Hospital.