Son blames driver for pregnant mum’s death
A son of a pregnant woman who died in a double fatal crash is angry the speeding driver didn’t stop for police.
Renee Percy, 35, and Dennis Tunnicliffe, 25, died in the early hours of Wednesday when the car, travelling at more than twice the speed limit, smashed into a power pole. The noise of the skidding car and the final fatal impact at 2.30am woke neighbours at the corner of Breezes Rd and Cuth- berts Rd in Aranui, Christchurch. The sole survivor yelled at police to help Percy, his pregnant partner, but it was too late. Percy’s eldest son, Jacob Percy, told The
Press yesterday he blamed Tunnicliffe for his mother’s death. ‘‘He was the one fully in control of the car. He could’ve stopped and pulled over for police. The police didn’t make it hard for him, he decided to go.’’ The 18-year-old, who had been in the custody of Child, Youth and Family (now Oranga Tamariki) for most of his life, said he last saw his mother about a month ago. ‘‘She was in a good place.’’ He planned to see her again in about two weeks’ time for Christmas to give her a new car. ‘‘I just wanted to let her know I love her.’’ He warned against other drivers thinking of fleeing police. ‘‘Don’t do it, you put not only yourself and others at risk but you can rip families apart.’’ An acquaintance of Percy’s said she had several children and was good to them, but Percy also mixed with some ‘‘undesirable people’’.
A Givealittle page created for Tunnicliffe by a relative said: ‘‘The money is to help cover funeral cost and this hard time for my family. Any little bit will help, rest easy big bro.’’