Taranaki crash: Couple, friends were killed in crash that claimed seven lives
Thursday, 28 June 2018
A Taranaki community is reeling after four people who lived locally were killed in a two-car crash which claimed the lives of seven people on Wednesday.
Two cars collided on State Highway 3, north of Waverley, killing the four in the second car instantly, as well as a man and a newborn baby girl in the other vehicle.
Police have confirmed the dead were Ian, 80, and Rosalie Porteous, 76, Ora Keene, 84, who is Ian's sister, and Brenda Williams,79. Friends said the four were well thought of and respected in the community and would be missed.
Couple Ian and Rosalie Porteous were travelling in the same car with Keene and Williams. They all died at the scene.
**READ MORE:
* Girl 'had her dad' as she died
* Roading officer: We will not learn from Waverley
* Firefighters offered assistance
* 'Beautiful' family in Taranaki crash
* Multiple killed in crash near Waverley**
Nivek Madams, 8, died in Waikato Hospital early Thursday, after being flown to the emergency department by rescue helicopter on Wednesday, police said.
She was in the other car, along with her eight-week-old baby sister Shady Thompson, and her stepfather, Jeremy Thompson, 28, who were both killed.
Nivek's mother, Ani Nohinohi, is still in a critical condition in Wellington Hospital.
The serious crash unit is investigating the cause of the crash.
COMMUNITY 'IN SHOCK'
Police also acknowledged the impact of the devastating crash has had on the wider community and the emergency service staff involved.
Ian and Rosalie Porteous were travelling with their friends in the northbound car at the time of the crash.
They were both retired.
Elsie Booth, who has lived opposite the couple for the past 12 months, said the town had been rocked by news of the tragic crash.
'The whole community is in shock,' she said.
She knew Ian Porteous, more than his wife Rosalie.
'He was a lovely and charming man,' she said.
Booth also knew Brenda Williams well, having met through a mutual friend.
'You couldn't find a nicer person,' she said.
Their friend, Keene, a widow, was also retired. She lost husband Graham Fernly Keene on January 31, 2014.
It is believed Keene had lived at her Waverley home, nestled in a quiet street off the main drag, for at least 20 years.
The well-presented house, with immaculate grounds, was testament to her love for gardening, says neighbour Pam Steenstra.
Steenstra, who only recently moved to the area, spoke to Keene for the first time last week.
She was shocked to hear of her death.
'She was a lovely lady,' Steenstra said. 'She was just gorgeous, she really was.'
Other neighbours, David and Maureen Moss had known Keene and other crash victim Brenda Williams well.
Maureen Moss also used to play bowls with Williams.
David Moss said he would often see Keene and they would stop and chat.
'I've known Ora since I was a little fella,' he said.
He said the death of all four, who were all well known in Waverley, would hit the community hard.
FOUR CLOSE FRIENDS
David Moss said it was possible the foursome were going to Pātea on the day of the crash to visit Keene's neighbour, who had recently gone into a rest home.
Patrick McKenna will never forget the extremely warm welcome he received from four close friends who were killed in Wednesday's horror fatal crash.
McKenna and his wife Raewyn moved to Waverley, from the Wairarapa in October where they met Ora Keene, Brenda Williams and Ian and Rosalie Porteous.
'They were some of the first people I met and they were very hospitable, warm and friendly,' he said.
'They were the kind of people who couldn't do enough for you, all four of them.
'We felt very welcomed by them.'
McKenna, who owns the Book Bank, said the foursome were a close-knit group who were regularly seen out socialising together.
'They often went places together and looked after each other.'
The friends were often at the community morning tea held at the town's public library on Wednesday mornings but had been absent this week.
'I noticed that they were missing but we hadn't been all that regular lately so we didn't think twice of it.
'HEART AND SOUL' OF THE TOWN
It wasn't until later on that McKenna discovered the group had all been killed in the crash mere kilometres north of the town.
'I was really upset, I was. I was quite choked up about it.'
He said the news had shocked the tiny town where everyone knew each other.
'That's what makes Waverley quite special, there's always a connection.
'It has impacted on the whole community.'
McKenna said Ian was well known for his long-winded way of telling jokes and Brenda often called into his store to chat and also had a great sense of humour.
The group were all very well thought of in the community and would be sadly missed, he said.
'They were kind of like the heart and soul of the community.'
Roy Hotter, parish clerk of the Waverley-Waitotara Co-operating Parish, said the four were all actively involved with the church and the community.
He said he had known the group since he moved to the town more than 40 years ago.
'If you had been living here for that long you would, wouldn't you. It's a small town.
'I would meet them in the street and say hello to them.'
Hotter said he often drove the road where the crash happened and had no concerns.
'I've never had any problems with it and it has got an 85kmh sign, it's not a speed restriction, but I would probably go around it at 100kmh.
'I've not known of any accidents there before.'
The deaths have sent shockwaves through the small community, which sits on the border of South Taranaki.
On Thursday, Gas petrol station owner Davendra Sigh said the deceased were all very well thought of in the community.
He only became aware of who they were late Wednesday and early Thursday.
'It is still a shock,' he said. 'We didn't even realise it was locals at the time.'
Manager of Waverley's RD1 store Trudi Davy said the news of the fatal crash had rocked the whole town.
'It is very sad,' Davy said.
When the sirens and commotion began on Wednesday morning Davy said staff in the store were hoping it wasn't someone they knew.
'We all got phone calls from friends and family to ask if we were OK,' she said.
TRIBUTE AT THE RACE TRACK
The Waverley Racing Club went ahead with its seven-race meeting on Thursday, but it wasn't a normal day.
'We're all here with heavy hearts,' Justine Alexander, the Waverley Racing Club's secretary, said. 'It affects so many people.'
Alexander said efforts had been made to remember the seven victims of the fatal crash. 'The jockeys all wore black arm bands,' Alexander said.
'We've got to move forward, keep the locals busy, keep their minds' occupied.'
Alexander said it had been a 'hard week' for Waverley locals after losing their first local in a truck crash on Monday, and then another four in Wednesday's crash.
Anthony Douglas Stubbs, 73, died after apparently suffering a medical event at the wheel of his truck and crashed the vehicle on Kohi Rd, in Waverley.