Taupō crash: 5-year-old boy one of four dead after horror smash
Wednesday, 11 October 2017
Pesi Tuivai was due to give her first sermon in a few weeks.
But instead of her standing at the pulpit her family will be saying goodbye to the 44-year-old mother of five after a horrific head-on collision near Taupō.
A 5-year-old boy was also killed and a further eight people injured when the two people-movers collided.
A 56-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man in the vehicle with the boy died at the scene. A 10-month-old baby boy, who was the fourth person in the car, also suffered critical injuries and was transferred from Waikato Hospital to Starship overnight.
READ MORE:
* Mother, daughter killed in King Country crash
* Three dead, toddler and baby cut free, after two-car crash on Southland highway
* Sixty more deaths predicted on NZ roads in already-deadly year
Tuivai was in the other vehicle, along with seven others heading to Palmerston North. She died at the scene.
Eight people were injured in the crash 1 kilometre south of the intersection of State Highway 1 and Tutukau Rd, Oruanui, about 3.15pm on Tuesday.
The four deaths bring the national road toll to 297 - 44 more deaths on the roads than the same time last year.
That's more than one person a day dying on the roads.
FAMILY COMFORT
Tuivai's family were members of the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga and were returning to Palmerston North after a weekend-long church event in Auckland.
Tuivai was not at the event, but joined the group in Hamilton to travel back home to Palmerston North.
Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga minister Tevita Langi said Tuivai had been working towards becoming a lay preacher for the past year.
She was over the moon about her achievement, he said.
'I had set her down to preach a couple of weeks from now.'
The church was struggling with what had happened.
'Everybody is surprised and sad,' Langi said. 'Devastated, I think that's one word [to describe it].'
The church members prayed and comforted each other on Tuesday night. Langi said their faith and beliefs would help them accept what had happened.
Tuivai's family was also struggling to come to terms with the crash.
Ana Tuivai, whose cousin is Pesi Tuivai's husband, said the situation seemed 'unreal'.
Pesi Tuivai had been away getting her lay preacher certificate, which she was awarded on Saturday.
Her daughter had been in the vehicle with her, and her father had gone to be with her at the hospital, Ana Tuivai said.
'She is fine, her father is with her at the moment.'
he family was now focusing on looking after Pesi Tuivai's other children, she said.
Pesi Tuivai had four children and had recently adopted a baby girl with her husband. The family had been living together in Palmerston North since December 2015
Ana Tuivai described Pesi Tuivai as a bubbly, happy woman.
'She always had a big smile for everyone,' she said.
'That's what everyone remembers, her smile, that's what everyone will miss.'
They had a very big family and Ana Tuivai said when things like this happened they all pulled together.
'The whole Tongan community comes together, they are the biggest family ever.'
They were concentrating on trying to get Pesi Tuivai back from Taupō to Palmerston North and helping her kids, she said.
'Supporting them and I don't know how we are going to do that, it's so tragic and sudden it's going to be a long journey.'
CRITICAL INJURIES
A 42-year-old man and 32-year-old woman were also flown to Waikato Hospital by rescue helicopters.
A Waikato hospital spokesperson said on Wednesday morning the man was critical in the hospital's intensive care unit and the woman was in a stable condition in a ward.
A 17-year-old girl who was a passenger in the people-mover was flown to Rotorua Hospital with critical injuries. She was now stable in a ward.
Two other children, aged 2 and 3, who were in the eight-seater people mover heading to Palmerston North, were taken to Rotorua Hospital.
They were both stable in the hospital's Children's Unit on Wednesday morning, a hospital spokeswoman said.
A 66-year-old woman was in Rotorua Hospital in a stable condition. A fifth woman, aged 42, was taken to Rotorua Hospital but was not admitted.
It was understood the man who died in the other vehicle was a New Zealander who had a daughter from Napier.
He had recently visited Waitahanui for a birthday celebration with friends and family.
Family members confirmed the man's identity but were too upset to speak on Wednesday.
Senior Sergeant Nicky Cooney, Acting Bay of Plenty road policing manager, said it was clear the vehicles collided head-on.
'This is an absolutely devastating event on our roads and police extend their sympathies to the loved ones of all of those involved,' Cooney said.
'It will take some time for the SCU to establish more facts.'
DEVASTATING SCENE
Brodie Haugh was heading home from work in Taupo to Tokoroa when he came across the scene. It was clear from about 100 metres back there were multiple deaths, he said.
'We came around the slight bend and all the cars had stopped, we slammed on the brakes. It wasn't too good,' Haugh said
'We were about 20 cars behind.'
He said the smash occurred at the end of a passing lane that comes around a corner to the left towards Taupo.
'One of the cars were in the middle of the road.'
About five minutes later, the police came belting past and the rescue helicopters flew in, he said.
'There was the police cars, fire brigade and three helicopters turned up. We were held up for about an hour and a half.'
.
Cooney said the priority was ensuring support was provided to those who need it following the tragedy.
'Any death or serious injury on our roads is one too many, the number of people an event like this affects is awful,' Cooney said.
'Road safety is everyone's responsibility. Everyone needs to think about their driving habits and keep safety at the forefront of their minds every time they hop in a vehicle.'
Police ask anyone who witnessed the crash, or has information which may help the police investigation, to contact Taupo Police on 07 378 6060.