Inquest into deaths

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 15, 8 September 1987, Page 14

Inquest into deaths

An inquest into the deaths of three young Taihape men in June was held in the Ohakune Coroner's Court last Tuesday. After hearing evidence from three deponents (there were no witnesses to the accident on SH49 between Waiouru and Ohakune on 27 June). District Coroner, Godfrey Harvey of Raetihi found that J e r e m i a h Tuhi Chase, 19, died by drowning on 27 June 1987, Stephen James McLean, 18, died of traumatic injuries to the head and lungs on the same date and Bert Manu Hopokia Eruera, 17, died from asphyxiation by aspiration of vomitus, also on the same date. All were from Taihape. The police summary of the case stated that the deceasfed and a group of associates had gone to a party in Raetihi on the evening of Friday 26 June. The three deceased left the party at about 0330 hours on 27 June (presumably to return to Taihape). At about 07.30 on Saturday 27 June a Holden Utility motor vehicle (Reg. No. LE7482) was found upside down in a pond on a farm property east of Ohakune. Most of the cab of the vehicle was submerged in the pond. The vehicle had been travelling along a straight stretch of road and had, for some unknown reason, veered through a farm

fence, travelled some distance before colliding with a bank and ending up in the pond. It was not known who was the driver and it appeared that the three deceased were front seat occupants, concluded the police summary. In his testimony to the Court, John Richards of Raetihi, said that he had been a passenger in the Winstone Pulp Mill workers' bus travelling towards Karioi from Ohakune at about 7.30am on that day. "Some people flagged us down and showed us a vehicle, on its roof, in a pond. It was half submerged with only the bottom of the vehicle and the wheels out of the water. These people said they could hear someone in the vehicle." "We got out of the bus and I, with two other people climbed onto the car where we could hear someone moaning. We tried to figure out how to get him out ... we thought there was only one person in it." "We prised open the drivers door which opened quite easily but we couldn't open the passenger door because it was hard up against the bank." Mr Richards, in his deposition, then described how he had found and removed the two deceased and pulled them to the bank. He then found a third person inside the vehicle still secured by a seat belt. "I freed him and we pulled him to the bank. He was still alive when we got him up on the bank and, shortly after that, the police and fire brigade arrived and took over trying to revive him. Ohakune police constable Brian Wilson,, told the coroner, about attending the accident on SH49 at Karioi.

When he arrived at about 7.40am, it was apparent that the vehicle had left the road, gone through a fence, crossed a paddock where it had rolled, crashed into a bank and then slid down, landing on its roof in a pond. It was quickly established that while two of the people from the car were already dead, a very faint pulse could be detected in the third. "With the assistance of members of the Ohakune Volunteer Fire Brigade who used a resuscitator, efforts were made to sustain life in this person and this was continued by ambulance staff on their arrival," he said. "However, some 30 minutes later, a doctor from the NZ Army Camp at Waiouru arrived at the scene and confirmed that this third person had also died." Evidence was also heard from David Donaldson, an automotive ' surveyor employed by the Ministry of Transport at Taumarunui. He said that he had inspected the vehicle in question at the request of the police. At the conclusion of his very comprehensive report, Mr Donaldson said that he had found a mechanical defect which: "In my opinion, may have been a contributing cause to the accident if operated by the driver of that vehicle - the defect being an inbperative left front brake." The Coroner asked Mr Donaldson what effect this inoperative brake would have if applied and was told that, initially it would cause the vehicle to pull to the right but then the driver would attempt to correct this by steering to the left and this might have resulted in an over-correction manoeuvre by the driver. An analysis report from

the DSIR on the amount of alcohol consumed by each of the deceased was then presented to the Coroner. At the end of the depositions Mr Harvey concluded that the three deceased had died in the circumstances described and the manner of their deaths had been as defined in the medical evidence. He said that it was "a tragic occurrence to have three young men end their lives in this way at such a young age." It was impossible, he said, to ascertain who was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident but it was clear, from the DSIR analyst's report, that none of them should have been. "None of them were in a fit state to be driving a motor vehicle and, whilst the message seems to be very slow getting through, perhaps the report on the findings of this very tragic case will have some positive results if other young people can be persuaded not to drink and drive."