Drink driver was five times the limit before fatal New Year’s Day crash
Friday, 3 July 2026
Peter John Rogers, 57, died on New Year's Day 2025 after his truck crossed the centre line on Old West Coast Rd and collided with an oncoming campervan carrying a family of four.
A coroner found the fatal crash was caused by Rogers being heavily intoxicated and likely fatigued; independent inspectors found no mechanical faults with either vehicle.
Post-mortem testing revealed Rogers had a blood-alcohol level of 273mg per 100ml of blood, which is more than five times the legal limit for drivers aged 20 or over.
A driver heading home to Christchurch crossed the centre line and caused a fatal New Year's Day collision because he was heavily intoxicated and likely fatigued, a coroner has found.
Peter John Rogers, 57, died after his Mitsubishi Canter truck collided with an oncoming Mercedes-Benz campervan containing a family of four on Old West Coast Rd to the west of the city.
According to findings by Coroner JP Ryan, Rogers had a blood-alcohol level of 273mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood — more than five times the legal limit for a driver aged 20 or over.
The crash occurred about 11am on 1 January 2025 as Rogers, a scaffolder, was returning from an inspection in Castle Hill, a village in the Southern Alps about 90 minutes north-west of Christchurch.
As his truck approached the campervan, Rogers crossed into the westbound lane. The campervan driver, Rei Eng, swerved into the eastbound lane, but Rogers pulled back into his own lane.
Eng swerved back into the westbound lane, but Rogers mirrored the move, causing the two vehicles to collide. The impact caused the campervan to roll onto its side.
Passengers in the campervan suffered injuries. Rogers’ truck cab was severely damaged and he suffered fatal blunt force injuries.
The Police Serious Crash Unit concluded that Rogers’ excess alcohol level was a cause factor. Independent inspectors found no mechanical faults with either vehicle.
GPS data showed Rogers was travelling at 99kph moments before the crash, on a section of road where his vehicle was restricted to 90kph. However, the crash analyst made no comment as to whether this speed contributed to, or caused, the crash. Eng estimated his own speed at around 80kph.
Because hospital records from October 2024 noted Rogers had previously experienced suicidal thoughts, the coroner examined whether the crash was a deliberate act.
Rogers’ wife, Tui Waru, told police her husband struggled with alcohol following the deaths of his mother and grandmother, resulting in three hospital admissions over two years. She had given him an ultimatum to change his drinking, and he told her everything would change in 2025.
On the day of the crash, Rogers had woken early to complete a work safety inspection delayed by bad weather on New Year’s Eve.
Coroner Ryan ruled out suicide, stating there was no evidence Rogers was suicidal in the days leading up to the crash.
“Rather, he was diligently completing his work tasks, even working on a public holiday to make up for lost time due to bad weather,” the coroner said.
The coroner concluded it was much more likely that the erratic driving and failed attempts to avoid the campervan were caused by alcohol impairment and fatigue.
He also noted that Eng did everything possible to avoid the collision.
Eng’s brother provided a submission outlining the severe and ongoing impact of the injuries on the people in the campervan. While acknowledging their trauma, Coroner Ryan noted that a coroner’s legal jurisdiction does not extend to assessing victim impact statements.