Two killed in high-speed crash
‘‘One vehicle was disintegrated and one vehicle was cut in half.’’
Mid-South Canterbury area commander Inspector Dave Gaskin
Death was probably ‘‘instantaneous’’ for two men killed in a high-speed Boxing Day crash.
Police said the high-impact crash on State Highway 1 near Glenavy, South Canterbury, was a ‘‘preventable’’ tragedy that took an innocent motorist’s life and brought the holiday road toll to seven.
Five others have died in crashes around New Zealand since 4pm on Friday, adding to the bleak annual tally of 375 – well above the 311 road deaths in 2016.
Last holiday period, there were 19 road deaths. This year’s official count will end at 6am on January 3.
Mid-South Canterbury area commander Inspector Dave Gaskin said one of the cars crossed the centre line in yesterday’s Waimate Highway crash.
‘‘One vehicle was disintegrated and one vehicle was cut in half,’’ he said.
Emergency services were called to the crash about 8am.
It was initially believed one of the cars was on fire, but there was ‘‘just a lot of smoke and steam’’, Glenavy Volunteer Fire Brigade chief Bevin Joyce said.
Gaskin said the men died at the scene.
‘‘I’d say death was instantaneous.
‘‘A motorist was driving too fast. A male, and it appears he was not wearing a seatbelt, crossed the centre line and killed an innocent person.’’ He urged drivers to take their time to get to their destination safely.
‘‘It’s pretty clear on this occasion that this was another crash that was preventable,’’ Gaskin said.
Police Detective Inspector Scott Beard said police wanted to reduce road deaths and injuries, but ‘‘we can’t be everywhere 24/7’’.
‘‘Don’t speed, drive to the conditions, don’t drink and drive, or drive under the influence of drugs, wear your seatbelts – we want people to be around for [the] Christmas festive season.’’
Crashes in Auckland, Northland, Rotorua, Hanmer Springs and the Hawke’s Bay had already claimed five lives since Friday.
A 20-year-old German national injured in the Hanmer Springs crash, which killed local chef Boney Biju on his 21st birthday, remained in a critical condition in Wellington Hospital yesterday.
Six more people were injured, two seriously, in a two-car crash near Geraldine yesterday that partially closed SH1 for several hours.
Meanwhile, police have also named a woman killed in a South Otago crash before Christmas as 27-year-old Ebony Grace.
Because the crash happened on December 19, Grace’s death is not included in the official holiday road toll.
Grace was a mother of two young children, neither of whom were present when her car careered off a road and crashed in a field.
In a tribute left to her on an online memorial page her family said: ‘‘Our beautiful girl Ebony spread her wings and flew into her father’s arms.
‘‘Words cannot express the heartache and loss felt by all who loved her.’’