Hayden Hurst pleads not guilty to Tré Anderson manslaughter

by Lauren Pattemore - Apr 09, 2024

The driver charged by police for the head-on smash that resulted in the death of Royalburn Station head butcher Outrega (Tré) Anderson has pleaded not guilty in the Invercargill High Court.

The case will go to trial midway through next year, and the driver, Hayden Richard Hurst, has been remanded on bail.

In court today (Tuesday, April 9) for a case review hearing, Mr Hurst's defence lawyer Kerry Cook asked for more time, saying they are "having more pertinent findings reviewed".

A second case review hearing has been scheduled for June 11 this year.

Hayden Hurst (top middle) appeared by audio-visual link, along with his lawyer Mr Cook (top left), with Judge Duncan Harvey (right) at the court house.

Mr Hurst and his lawyer appeared at today's court hearing via video link.

The crash occurred on December 16 last year, on State Highway Six near the Crown Range turnoff, and Mr Hurst was charged in late January with excess blood alcohol causing death.

Police upgraded the charge to manslaughter on March 1.

Blood alcohol levels were taken at the scene, and results showed Mr Hurst had been driving with 131 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, when the legal limit is 50 milligrams.

Police allege he had also taken ecstasy prior to the crash.

The trial is scheduled to begin on August 25, 2025.