Speed and alcohol found as cause of horror smash

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 521, 1 February 1994, Page 4

Speed and alcohol found as cause of horror smash

Presiding over his flrst coroner's court since he took over from Godfrey Harvey late last year, Waimarino district coroner Paul Brown' s first duty was to determine the cause of death of six people killed in the head-on collision on the Ohakune-Raetihi roadon24 August last year. After considering the evidence of a total of 32 exhibits including statements, plans, sketches, photographs and reports presented by Ohakune police constable Greg Phillips, Mr Brown found that the collision had occurred as a result of a combination of alcohol and excessive speed. The six people who died were Thomas Tui Anthony Martin, 36, Cindy Kareroa,

19, Tina Goff, 27, John Francis Henare Kingi, 45, all of Raetihi, Otis Wynyard, 25, of Wanganui who were occupants of the brown Ford Falcon and Robin Ian Rowles, 45, of Ohakune who was the sole occupant of the other car involved, a green Subaru station wagon. Coroner Paul Brown spoke of the "devastating effect" the deaths of so many local people had had on the Waimarino community and particularly on the friends and families of those concerned. He also noted the effect the crash had had on those police and ambulance officers who attended to the victims. "This speed and alcohol related carnage on our roads

must be avoided in the future", he said. According to the pathologist's report all six had died of "multiple grievous injuries" including fractures and mptures of vital organs. Constable Greg Phillips told the Court that as it was impossible to determine who was driving the" Ford Falcon at the time of the collision blood and urine samples were taken from each of the victims. Subsequent enquiries confirmed that Thomas Martin had been the driver. His blood count was 180 over 100 (the legal limit is 80/1 00) while that of Robin Rowles was 25/100... "well under the legal limit" said Mr Brown. A motor vehicle inspec-

tor's report had stated that no mechanical fault had been found in either vehicle which might have contributed to the collision. In trying to establish the cause of the crash Constable Phillips said that Police had concentrated on the movements of the occupants of the Ford Falcon car. He presented s wom statements from a series of witnesses about events on the day concerned in chronological order starting with the probation officer in Taihape with whom John Kingi had an appointment that morning, bar staff at the Ohakune Hotel, occupants of a Holden Commodore, a school bus driver and a builder who heard the

head-on collision at approximately 2.30pm. The last witness said he had been working on the garage door of a nearby house when he heard a V-8 engine "really working" and, when he looked towards the Ohakune-Raetihi Road, he saw a brown Ford Falcon car travelling at speed which he estimated to be about 160 km/h. He then heard a loud boom and saw a cloud of smoke rising from the point of impact. Bar staff testified the occupants of the Ford Falcon had been drinking in the public bar for about two hours prior to their departure. Occupants of the Holden Commodore testified that

as they turned right out of Clyde Street, Ohakune, to head towards Raetihi, a brown Ford Falcon left the hotel car park and cut across the front of them as it headed in the same direction. They noticed the Falcon weaving from side to side so decided to overtake and get clear which they managed to do on the straight past the Lakes Road tumoff. However, instead of leaving the Falcon behind as they expected, they noticed by the time they were alongside the ECNZ power substation, the Falcon was directly behind them almost bumper-to-bumper. They decided to slow and pull over to the side of the road to allow the Falcon to overtake but, instead of overtaking, the Falcon remained behind them with the occupants of the Falcon giving the 'fingers'.

Realising that the Falcon was not going to overtake, the driver of the Commodore decided to accelerate and, shortly after manoeuvering around the left-handbendby the 'South Fork' drivewayandnearthe Waimarino golf course, noticed a green car heading in the opposite direction. They looked back to see the two cars collide headon and rise about a metre in the air amid a cloud of smoke and dust. They turned round and returned to the crash site to render whatever assistance they could and summon emergency services, who freed the only survivor Brian James Ruke, 31. At this point detailed descriptions of the crash scene were not divulged in Court in order to spare family members and friends, some of whom were present, any undue distress.