Fatal hit-and-run driver Rouxle Le Roux has spoken out for the first time, saying she's genuinely remorseful and still traumatised by her role in the accident.
Le Roux was sentenced to 11 months' home detention and 250 hours' community service for a charge of dangerous driving causing death. She hit cyclist Nathan Kraatskow and fled the scene, before turning herself in to police the next day.
- Rouxle Le Roux: Critics of the sentence don't know the facts - lawyer
- Woman who killed boy with car joked about having to catch bus on Instagram
- 19yo woman sentenced to home detention, community service for dangerous driving killing 15yo cyclist
Le Roux had been drinking and smoking cannabis before the accident, and was on a learner licence. The Mercedes she was driving belonged to a friend of hers, who she claims was not sober enough to drive.
She was driving to Kaukapakapa with him and another friend in the car when she hit Nathan. Le Roux knew something had been hit, but claims the two passengers told her not to stop and she listened to them.
"There was a bit of hope in me that it wasn't a person I'd hit, but I do take full responsibility," she told NZME. "It was up to me and I didn't stop."
Le Roux said she realised what happened when she got home, but her mother advised her to wait until the morning to go to the police.
The next morning she prepared for her arrest, including seeing a panel beater to see how much it would cost to fix her friend's car as she believed she would be headed to prison soon.
She admitted Instagram posts made after the crash were in poor taste. The most infamous one showed her in a prisoner outfit and was captioned "hide the kids".
"I know that it was insensitive to the boy's parents [but] I was talking about trick-or-treating."
- National calls for tougher sentencing after Le Roux gets home detention
- Mother of 15yo hit-and-run victim launches petition demanding killer's sentence be appealed
- 'We won't just give up': Rouxle Le Roux's victim's mum on failed home detention appeal
She said she still regrets the decisions made that night and will do so for the rest of her life for the rest of her life.
Nathan's parents are not convinced though, telling NZME they don't believe her.
Mother Charlene Kraatskow said she was not ready to undergo a restorative justice meeting with Le Roux, or read a letter of apology given to the family. Instead she's focusing on making it through the holiday season without her son.
Newshub.
