Victim ‘a great kid and a great son’
The man who died in a fatal crash near Wallacetown on Sunday was ‘‘a big character’’ with a big sense of humour.
21-year-old Conor Drake, of Otautau, died on Sunday after a crash between a four-wheel-drive and a Fonterra tanker.
His brother Cameron Drake said when Conor entered the room everyone knew.
‘‘A lot of people liked him.
‘‘He was friendly and outgoing,’’ he said.
‘‘Conor Conor.’’
The 21-year-old was a ‘‘big character’’ with a big sense of humour, Cameron said.
The brothers bonded in later years over their shared love for motorbikes.
The pair rode their bikes together and Conor helped him with mechanical work, Cameron said. ‘‘He was really good.’’ Conor’s dad Peter Drake said, ‘‘he was just a great, great kid and is a great son.’’
Conor played for the Otautau Rugby Football Club for four years.
His coach Kelvin Tagg said he played in the prop position and was in the club’s senior rugby team.
‘‘He was a loved friend and player,’’ he said.
The news of his death hit the club close to home, he said.
‘‘He loved.’’
A police spokeswoman said the Serious Crash Unit was still investigating and the cause of the crash was yet to be determined.
Emergency services were called to the scene, on the Riverton-Wallacetown Highway, at 7.50am on Sunday.
A police spokeswoman said Conor was the sole occupant in the four-wheel-drive.
The driver of the tanker, who was also the sole occupant, was uninjured.
A Fonterra spokeswoman confirmed it was a Fonterra tanker involved in the crash, but could not confirm whether the driver would take a period of leave. was very