Tributes flow for motorcyclist
A Taranaki man who died in a crash in the weekend has been described by his wha¯ nau as a passionate, loyal and loving father, brother and friend.
Police said motorcyclist Jason William Ngatai, 48, of Stratford, died in a collision with a car on Wiremu Rd, Te Kiri near Opunake, at 2.25pm on Sunday.
His sister Corina said his death had been devastating to her and their other sister, Mills.
‘‘That one link has been taken away and for my sister and I the ache is unbelievable,’’ she said. ‘‘There’s a great emptiness there because he is missing.’’
Corina said Ngatai was an amazing father to his two sons Tama, 23, and Riki, 18, as well as being very community minded.
‘‘He will be sadly missed by everyone.
‘‘He loved his friends dearly and would do anything for anybody.’’
Ngatai had played senior rugby for the Eltham club and had a passion for motorcycles and the Hydras Kickboxing Club where he trained, she said.
‘‘He would have dedicated himself to the club for the last 20 years.’’
Corina said her brother also worked with at-risk youth in Eltham to stop them from going down the wrong path. ‘‘He loved his town and he protected it as much as he could.’’
A tangi for Ngatai will be held at the Eltham Ma¯ ori Club at 1pm tomorrow and he will be buried at the town’s cemetery. Corina expected it would attract a big crowd.
‘‘There will be a lot of bikes coming from Wellington, Hawke’s Bay and the Manawatu¯ area. He was well known within motorcycling circles within New Zealand.’’
The crash, which was one of three involving cars and motorcycles within a 24-hour period in Taranaki during Labour weekend, is under investigation by the police Serious Crash Unit.
Ngatai was the only road death in the country over Labour weekend. The national road toll was the lowest since records began in 1956 and equals the previous lowest number of deaths, which was recorded in 2013.