'Coward' father who killed son, 6, in fiery crash freed from prison (2025)

Parole Board chair Sir Ron Young called it a “tragic” situation.

Young said Gebhardt told the board he still had no memory of the crash and “tended to revert to an explanation of a possible mechanical fault that caused him to drive in the way he did. There is no evidence to support that claim”.

“Mr Gebhardt will clearly have to come to terms that it was his irresponsible driving which caused the death of his young child,” the decision says.

The Parole Board were “satisfied he is no longer an undue risk”.

At sentencing in 2022, defence counsel Andrew McCormick acknowledged an “absolute tragedy” that had “affected many, many people”.

Justice Jan-Marie Doogue found his driving was “highly dangerous and reckless”, telling Gebhardt that he breached the precious trust his young son would’ve had in him.

“Lachlan should’ve expected to be safe in the hands of his father.

“He was completely at the mercy of your decision-making that day.”

The judge heard that Gebhardt lacked insight into his offending and had not taken responsibility for it.

McCormick said Gebhardt could not remember why he had driven off the road. He was now a broken man, he said, suffering from diagnosed “complicated grief”.

The court heard that Gebhardt drove off the road at high speed through the bend of Lehmans Rd and River Rd near Rangiora Racecourse, North Canterbury, on November 5, 2019.

The car launched 24m in the air before it hit a tree 7m higher than its take-off point.

It burst into flames and Lachlan died at the scene.

There were no signs that Gebhardt tried to brake or slow down, the court heard.

As members of the public dragged Gebhardt out of the burning wreck, he asked to be put back in to change places with his son.

“He’s such a nice boy. I want to swap with him,” Gebhardt told them. “I want a bullet.”

Crown prosecutor Mark Zarifeh earlier told the court Gebhardt shared custody of Lachlan with his ex-partner.

It was a “very sad case”, Zarifeh said, and one that defies explanation or description.

“There are really no words that can capture the loss caused by Lachlan’s death.”

On November 5, 2019, Gebhardt picked up Lachlan from Dudley Park swimming pool in Rangiora, leaving at 4.08pm, with Lachlan in the back seat of his Mazda.

Gebhardt drove along Lehmans Rd on the westerly outskirts of Rangiora, faster than the posted 80km/h limit. He swerved sharply when he passed a vehicle and had to get back to avoid an oncoming vehicle.

At the end of the straight was a sharp right-hand corner with a 25km/h advised speed.

Police estimated his speed at about 130km/h when he reached the turn, but he made no effort to brake, slow, or swerve.

The car hit the speed sign, went up a stopbank and became airborne before hitting a tree. The car spun to the ground and caught fire.

Members of the public called emergency services and dragged Gebhardt out. But the fire prevented them from getting back to the car.

Gebhardt received burns to 30% of his body, a fractured femur and facial injuries. Lachlan died at the scene.

When he was interviewed by the police about seven weeks later, Gebhardt said he could not recall anything about the crash.

In September 2020, 10 months after the fatal crash, he walked into the Christchurch Police Station, took his clothes off and pleaded to be jailed.

He was arrested and charged with obscene exposure in public.

At a court appearance soon after, McCormick explained that Gebhardt was “having difficulty” with trauma issues.

However, Gebhardt insisted on pleading guilty immediately, and was jailed for a month for obscene exposure.

The crash was across the road from Manson’s work at the racecourse and around the corner from where she lived with Lachlan.

She believes Gebhardt wanted to cause “maximum pain” and would never forgive him.

In the days after the crash, the family were led to believe it had been a tragic accident, Lachlan’s grandmother told the court.

But after visiting the scene, she did not believe it was an accident.

“I believe you murdered my grandson,” she said in her victim impact statement.

“You used your car as a weapon.”