Methamphetamine supply charges in wake of fatal crash that claimed life of US tourists ‘denied and remains denied’

Wednesday, 17 June 2026

The woman charged with drug offences in the wake of a fatal crash that killed two American tourists at Piarere has pleaded not guilty and requested a Judge-alone trial.

Danielle McCallion faces charges of supplying methamphetamine and having a listed substance in her blood.

Her lawyer Herman Roose entered the pleas at Tokoroa District Court on Wednesday, despite McCallion’s no-show.

Roose told Judge Anna Skellern a diary mishap on his part had meant McCallion was not present, but he noted she had appeared at Whangarei District Court in expectation of appearing at Tokoroa via audiovisual link.

“She’s been exemplary and I ask you to excuse her appearance,” he said.

He also said the lead charge, possession of methamphetamine for supply, “is denied and remains denied”.

He said that while 20g of the drug were found, “in her car, she wishes to rebut the presumption [of supplying]”.

Judge Skellern set a next appearance date of July 23 to confirm a one-day, Judge-alone trial date.

The American tourists, Amber Stephens, 34 and Joshua Greenway, 35, were killed in a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 1 at Piarere near Horahora Rd in October last year.

The pair were in New Zealand to attend a wedding.

Stephens and Greenway were remembered by friends as “angels on earth”.

Greenway was a stand-up comic and improv performer from Phoenix, Arizona and a mainstay of that city’s comedy scene, friends previously told the Waikato Times.

In an earlier statement, Sergeant Shane McNally said the investigation into the crash remains ongoing and “cannot rule out further charges”.

Police say they still want to hear from any witnesses or people who have dashcam footage and urge anyone with information to ring 105, quoting file number: 251016/7055.