Singers involved in crash
A woman remains critically ill after a serious crash north of Taranaki in which five people were injured.
Those hurt in the Friday afternoon crash near Mo¯ kau included three Taranaki entertainers who were on their way to their next gig.
Monique Matthews and Ray and Berna Hayward had been due to perform at the O¯ torohanga Club in Waikato when their car was involved in a collision with another vehicle near the intersection of Ye Old Mill Rd and State Highway 3 around 2pm.
Three people, including Matthews, were flown by helicopters to Waikato Hospital, while two taken to Taranaki Base Hospital.
One of the injured is still in critical condition in Waikato Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Under privacy rules the Waikato District Health Board will not name them.
A Givealittle fund has been set up for Matthews, a young mum described on the page as a ‘‘beautiful lady with a kind, generous heart’’.
Matthews is a well-known singer in the region and had recently started singing with Berna in the band Just Us.
‘‘If Monique has blessed your life with her gorgeous singing, kind heart or any other way, please help her and her family by making a donation towards travel/accommodation costs for her husband, Lee,’’ the Givealittle
reads.
The money will go towards ‘‘travel costs and lost income for Monique and Lee, who will be off work for weeks but has no holidays or sick days’’.
The O¯ torohanga Club confirmed Matthews was travelling with Berna and her husband Ray, who run Raybern Entertainment, to an engagement there.
A spokesperson said Just Us had performed before, as well as other Raybern Entertainment sets, and their patrons ‘‘love them’’.
Ray had helped organise the Coastal Taranaki Tornado Fundraiser at the Ra¯ hotu Tavern in April after the town was devastated by a tornado.
The tavern owner, Jackie Broad, said the pair were ‘‘so huge’’ in the community – ‘‘they’re coastal people’’.
Broad said Ray and Berna played a great part in the fundraiser and had even travelled through the night after an out-of-town gig to get to Ra¯ hotu and make it happen.
It seemed the pair were always on the road, Broad said, but always had time for the community.
Taranaki Rescue Helicopter pilot Mike Parker said they transferred a female to Waikato Hospital on Friday.
Parker said the Taupo¯ and Tauranga rescue helicopters came and flew two other people to Waikato too.
The Waikato District Health Board could not confirm the status or how many people were admitted to their hospital following the crash.
It confirmed one female was still in critical condition in the ICU on Sunday.
The Taranaki District Health Board said in an emailed statement a 42-year-old female remained at Taranaki Base Hospital in stable condition and a 52-year-old male had since been transferred to Waikato hospital in a serious condition.