A father crashed his car, driving at 81mph, which flew 25 metres before exploding into a ball of flames and killing his six-year-old son, it is reported.
Niklas Gebhardt, 32, was speeding as he went into a bend, where the limit was 15mph and made no attempt to break before the car left the road.
He had been seen recklessly driving and overtaking cars before the crash in Rangiora, New Zealand, on November 5, 2019, it is reported.
The car burst into flames and while he was dragged from the car, his six-year-old son Lachlan, died inside.
Gebhardt pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the High Court at Christchurch and will be sentenced on August 3, reported stuff.co.nz.
The court heard that Gebhardt shared custody of the boy with his former partner Kim Manson and that he had arranged to pick him up at 4pm from Dudley Park Aquatic Centre in Rangiora.
He began speeding and was reported to have overtaken a car then sharply swerved back into his own lane to avoid another vehicle.
Gebhardt continued driving dangerously when he got to a sharp bend and it was here that he left the road.
He reportedly made no attempt to break or turn at the corner and hit an embankment.
A police serious crash unit calculated the car travelled 24 metres horizontally and seven metres vertically before hitting a tree, reported stuff.co.nz.
People rushed to the car which had exploded into flames and a passer-by pulled Gebhardt from the car before the fire became too intense to see if anyone else was inside.
Once out of the car Gebhardt was reportedly heard saying: “Put me back in, swap me with my son, I want to swap.
“My son’s in the back, he’s such a good boy, he’s such a nice boy, I want to swap. I need a bullet.”
Gebhardt, who suffered 30% burns and a fractured femur, claimed he did not recall anything about the crash and he was charged with manslaughter.
Then in September, 2020, he walked into Christchurch Central police station and took his clothes off, refused to put them back on, and asked police to put him in prison.
He appeared in court and was charged with indecent exposure and was sentenced to a month in jail.
