Driver apologises for 'stupid mistakes' after five teens killed near Timaru

Sunday, 8 August 2021

Aoraki Area Commander Inspector Dave Gaskin addresses media in Timaru after a crash that killed five teenagers at the intersection of Meadows and Seadown roads. Video first published August 8, 2021.

The driver of an overloaded car which crashed killing five teenagers has posted a message from his hospital bed apologising for “stupid mistakes that I made that has costed 5 lives”.

The car hit a power pole so hard the vehicle was cut in half. Only the driver survived the crash on Saturday evening.

The crash, one of the worst in recent history, happened shortly before 7.30pm at the intersection of Seadown Rd and Meadows Rd in Washdyke, near Timaru in South Canterbury.

The body of one of the teenagers killed was found in the boot of the car when police arrived.

The 19-year-old driver of the car posted a photo of himself from his hospital bed to social media on Sunday with an apology.

“Hello everyone just wanted to say I’m not dead I am very very lucky to still be alive and I can’t believe what has happened and I am so so so sorry to the families that I have put in pain coz of stupid mistakes that I made that has costed 5 lives.”

Flowers have been laid at the scene of a crash which killed five teenagers near Timaru.

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Aoraki Alternative Education manager Rob Emerson, who taught two of the teenagers, said everyone in the community was affected by the tragic deaths.

“It cuts deep. There's only 20 of us at Aoraki Alternative Education. Their cohort is still with us. It's a crushing blow.”

Both of the boys had been success stories of the alternative education system, he said.

A friend of one of the teenagers killed has described him as a “funny and kind man”.

Emerson said a trauma team would be on hand on Sunday afternoon to talk to those affected and offer support and counselling.

Timaru Boys' High School rector Dave Thorp said he had not been officially informed whether any of his students had been involved.

“It's a terrible disaster.”

Area commander Dave Gaskin examines the back half of the Nissan Bluebird driven by Tyreese Fleming which crashed near Timaru in August 2021. The front of the car can be seen behind him.

It was tragic for so many grieving families, he said.

“Young people are meant to be hope, not dying,” Thorp said.

A friend of one of the teenagers killed in the crash said was in shock after hearing the news.

“I’m in a lot of shock I’m finding it hard to process I was hanging out with (him) on Friday. I wish this was all a dream.

She described her friend as “a funny kind man who loved to laugh all the time and have as much fun as possible”.

Five people are dead after a major single-vehicle crash in Timaru, with the driver taken to hospital.

“I hope he’s resting easy.”

Do you know more? Email sam.sherwood@stuff.co.nz

Aoraki Area Commander Inspector Dave Gaskin said those who died were aged between 15 and 16.

Police are not yet able to release the names of the victims, but Gaskin said they were all from Timaru.

“Timaru is a very small community, and I am sure this is going to touch a lot of people.

“I knew one of the boys – the family of one of the boys.

“It is a tragedy and will reverbrate around our community for a long time.

“It's one of the worst jobs we do.”

The scene of the crash near the corner of Seadown and Meadows rds.

Gaskin said the driver, who was seriously injured in the crash, was in a stable condition in Timaru Hospital “surrounded by family” on Sunday morning.

Emergency services at the scene on Saturday night.

Police have not yet been able to speak to him.

The crash was at the corner of Seadown and Meadows roads.

He said he could not confirm whether he held a full licence.

Ray Colvill, pictured at the crash site on Sunday, reported concerns about people doing burnouts in the area prior to Saturday night's crash.

“I could not comment in relation to the driver’s licence, but you would think the young men who died, being 15 and 16, and the driver only being 19 – you would suspect he didn’t have a full licence.”

He did not want to speculate on the cause of the crash, but said “speed was obviously” a factor, and alcohol may have been involved. Road conditions were not thought to have contributed to the crash, he said.

“There were six people in the vehicle, there is only five sets of seatbelts. It is not possible at the moment to say who was wearing seatbelts, but I think it is pretty clear to say that only a very few, if anyone, were wearing seatbelts.

“When I arrived at the scene, unfortunately, one of the deceased was in the boot of the car.”

Timaru resident Ray Colvill, who lives about 500 metres from the crash scene, told Stuff he called police about 5.55pm to report four cars doing burnouts at the intersection.

Five teenagers were killed in a crash at Washdyke, near Timaru, in August 2021.

Colvill said the corner was a popular spot with boy racers usually starting “racing around the area” about 8.30pm.

'I just had to ring 111 and said they had to send someone out to sort these buggers out, and I said they were just getting worse and worse and worse.

“I said, ‘they're starting early tonight. If you don't send somebody out somebody is going to get bloody killed at some stage’.”

Colvill said police told him they would send the information through to dispatch. He was unsure if police attended following his call.

He was asleep at the time of the crash and was unaware what had happened until his wife told him she had seen emergency services drive past.

He was “distraught”, when he heard five people had been killed.

“It's been happening for five years. It's just getting worse and worse and worse,” he said about the boy racing.

When asked about this, Gaskin confirmed police had received a call about “anti-social road users” earlier on Saturday and that staff were sent out before the crash. He said the area, which had long straights, was a popular spot for boy-racers.

“The previous notification of a boy racer vehicle in that area was not that vehicle.”

He said police had no information in relation to any previous events involving the car and are asking anyone with information to get in touch.

“We are urging members of public who saw the vehicle which was a Nissan Bluebird, registration number UI1799 prior to the accident to come forward.”

Timaru District mayor Nigel Bowen woke up to the news of the crash on Sunday morning. He did not know who was involved and whether they were members of the local community.

“When it all comes out, no matter what, it's just going to be hugely devastating. We haven't had a large accident like this where there's been multiple deaths for some time.”

“Whether it's teenagers involved or not you just start to think as a father that having people not returning home in your family would just be near life-ending, it's pretty hard to come to terms with.”

He was “absolutely gutted” for the families involved. He said the community would rally around those impacted.

“It's a real tragedy for the families foremost but the community as well.”

He said he was unaware the corner was popular for boy racers.