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RICHFIELD — Criminal charges are now part of the growing nightmare for a Richfield man who lost his wife and friends in a New Zealand car crash Tuesday.
Three counts of careless driving resulting in death have been filed against Richard Barnett and may delay his return to the United States. But his brother-in-law says Barnett has remained true to character by reaching out to the semitrailer driver on the other side of the horrific crash.
"That’s just the kind of guy he is. He’s always reaching out to people. He is a wonderful, decent man,” said Gary Hatch, who is married to Barnett's sister.
Barnett proposed to meet with the driver of the semi “to offer what comfort he can,” Thomas Sutcliffe, the local LDS stake president who has been attending to Barnett during his hospital stay, said in a written statement. The man respectfully declined to meet.
Barnett’s rental SUV collided with a semi just outside Hamilton, New Zealand, on Tuesday, killing Tammy Barnett and married couple Mitchell and Ruth Peterson, also from Richfield.
Sutcliffe said Richard Barnett was approached about the charges while still mourning his wife's death from his hospital room.
"The priority now is for (Richard) Barnett to return to the (United States) with his deceased wife and close friends, (Mitchell and Ruth Peterson)," Sutcliffe wrote. "He was advised of (the) charges in a prearranged meeting with the police and myself in the hospital (Thursday) evening. It is hoped that the court process can be expedited to allow Dr. Barnett to return home as soon as possible.”
Richard Barnett was released from the hospital Friday morning New Zealand time in good condition, according to Hatch.
"He is improving, and we’re grateful for that,” he said.
The charges won’t lead to jail time for Richard Barnett, Hatch said.
Hatch said his brother-in-law “is holding up well” in the face of the charges, which will likely result in a fine, and that his main priority is expediting the case.
3 Sevier County residents killed in 'ferocious' New Zealand crash
Two Richfield women and a man were killed and a fourth person was injured in New Zealand on Tuesday when an SUV holding four vacationers from the Sevier County city collided with a semitrailer.Richard Barnett wanted to make clear his good will and appreciation toward authorities in New Zealand, Sutcliffe wrote.
“(He) is grateful for the emergency services who attended the scene and in particular the police who have been compassionate and professional in all of their dealings with him,” Sutcliffe wrote. "He expresses his thanks for the first class medical treatment he has received during his stay in (the) hospital and the overwhelming support from local church members.”
The Barnetts’ son and Tammy Barnett’s brother were both planning to arrive in New Zealand on Friday morning.
Hatch said his brother-in-law is deeply worried about the well-being of the Peterson family after the death of his two friends.
The Barnetts and Petersons were on "the trip of a lifetime" and about to visit the LDS temple just minutes away at the time of the crash, according to a statement released on a GoFundMe donation website established for Tammy Barnett's funeral costs. A GoFundMe* site was also set up on behalf of the Petersons.
The two couples were good friends and were active in the Richfield community. Mitchell Peterson ran the Mountain View Vision Center there and was the bishop of his LDS ward. Richard Barnett is an orthodontist in Richfield and serves on the city council.
*KSL.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does KSL.com assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.Email: blockhart@deseretnews.com Twitter: @benlockhartnews
