Dad, 32, said ‘I need a bullet’ after killing son in 81mph car crash – World News

Niklas Gebhardt pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the High Court in Christchurch, New Zealand, after his six-year-old son Lachlan died in the horrific crash

A father crashed his car, which was traveling at 131 km/h, which flew 25 meters before exploding in a ball of flame, killing his six-year-old son, sources say.

Niklas Gebhardt, 32, drove too fast into a bend where the limit was 24 km/h and made no attempt to brake before the car went off the road.

He was seen driving recklessly and overtaking cars before the accident in Rangiora, New Zealand, on November 5, 2019, it said.

The car caught fire and while he was being pulled out of the car, his six-year-old son Lachlan died inside.

Gebhardt pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Christchurch High Court and will be sentenced on August 3, stuff.co.nz reported.

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 Center in Rangiora.

He started accelerating and is said to have overtaken a car, then backed up sharply into his own lane to avoid another vehicle.

Gebhardt drove dangerously on when he came into a sharp curve and left the road there.

He reportedly made no attempt to brake or turn at the corner and hit an embankment.

A police heavy crash unit calculated the car had traveled 24 meters horizontally and seven meters vertically before hitting a tree, he reported stuff.co.nz

People rushed to the car, which was engulfed in flames, and a passer-by pulled Gebhardt out of the car before the fire got too intense to see if anyone was still inside.

When Gebhardt got out of the car, he is said to have said: “Put me back in, trade me with my son, I want to trade.

“My son is in the back, he’s such a good boy, he’s such a nice boy, I want to trade. I need a bullet.”

Gebhardt, who suffered 30% burns and a femoral fracture, claimed he could not remember anything about the crash and was charged with manslaughter.

Then, in September 2020, he went to Christchurch Central Police Station and stripped, refused to put them back on and asked police to put him in jail.

He appeared in court and was charged with indecent exposure and sentenced to one month in prison.