Repeat crashes ‘wipe out my whanau’
Losing loved ones in a car smash is cruel, writes Carolyne Meng-yee, but if it’s twice at the same spot . . .
The day before his dad’s tangi, Ashton-lee Rangihuna dived for crayfish and paua with his uncle.
Now that uncle, Wimaki Rangihuna, is preparing for the 14-yearold’s funeral. Two car crashes, one month apart. Same stretch of road, same tree, same family.
Wimaki, 58, is devastated his wha¯nau have been “wiped out”. First his brother Lance, and now his nephew, niece and brother’s partner.
Lance Rangihuna, 57. AshtonLee Rangihuna, 14. Ana-roimata Rangihuna, 10. Tiny Tibble, 43. The roll-call represents people Wimaki held close.
“Our dad died in May during Covid and my older brother has severe mental-health issues. It’s only me and my partner Marley now. We are on our own.”
Wimaki lives in Auckland. His brother and family lived in Te Araroa. This week the small coastal East Cape community was shrouded in a blanket of silence and sadness. For now, Wimaki wants to remember the deer hunting, and diving for paua and crayfish with his nephew.
“Ashton was into his hunting, diving, fishing. He was a tall, strapping young lad, about six foot three [1.9m], he’s a big boy. The night before his father’s funeral he went hunting, the next morning we got up there was a venison hanging.
“The young fella and [his sister] Ana were both gentle souls. Lance died about five weeks ago. Now I have to collect Tiny and the kids and bring them back home,” Wimaki said.
“I miss everything about Lance. He was a laid-back fella. He made random phone calls and random visits. He would ring me up and order something for dinner. I’d say, ‘where are you?’ He’d reply, ‘I’ll be there in two hours’.”
On October 15, Lance was killed when his car smashed into a tree near Karakatuwhero River bridge on State Highway 35. This week, Lance’s partner, Tiny, and her children, Ashton-lee and Ana-roimata, died when Tibble’s Land Cruiser rolled and smashed into the same tree.
“Tiny and Lance were a great couple,” says Wimaki. The couple had just purchased a lawnmowing business and, he says,
were popular among locals. “They were fantastic parents and raised awesome kids.”
Wimaki, an Auckland bus driver, says losing his wha¯nau is “huge”.
“I don’t wish this on anyone.” He believes Tiny was heartbroken after Lance’s death, but says wha¯nau were supporting her.
“We were trying to do the best that we can by texting and keeping in contact with her.”
A friend of the family who didn’t want to be identified told the Weekend Herald there should have been more support for Tiny.
“We all need to learn from this tragedy.”
Adrienne Ngata, a first responder at the crash site, says she felt helpless she couldn’t help the family when she was called out to the site on Monday.
“They were already gone. The mother and daughter were lying flat in the front seat but they looked peaceful. The boy was huddled over in the back seat.”
Ngata said there was no evidence of alcohol in the car.
“The impact on the town is horrendous — like any family you lose. I’ve been a first responder for 25 years but it doesn’t make things easier,” she said. “Tiny was well-liked and a great mother.”
Ngata said that in a community where everyone was considered wha¯nau, the town of Te Araroa was in shock.
Patrick Tangaere, a principal at the Rangitukia primary school and another first responder who attended the crash site, said the victims belts.
“The front of the car was pushed right in and it was upside down. It is both sad and a tragedy. It’s harder knowing the family involved.”
The Weekend Herald has learned that on October 1 Lance Rangihuna was charged with an unlawful act of sexual connection. He was due to appear in court on October 15, the day he died.
Wimaki said he had no about his brother’s charge.
Detective Sergeant Murray Hewson told the Weekend Herald “we can’t disclose anything at this stage. This tragedy is very raw in our community, we are trying to work out our support systems for everyone.”
There are no crosses, flowers, or police markings near the tree where Wimaki lost family twiceover. He drives past the crash site regularly, but refuses to stop.
“It’s too painful. I am still trying to get over my dad and my brother and this happens. I don’t want to see it. I just keep carrying on.”
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