Deadly weekend on our roads
‘‘It is with great sadness that we have to inform our families . . . of the tragic loss of our dear colleague and much loved teacher, Mrs Casey Walker.’’
Morrinsville School Facebook post
A rural Waikato school community is mourning a teacher who died after her car hit a tree.
The Morrinsville School teacher was one of seven people to die on the nation’s roads since Friday as rain soaks the country.
Four died in the Waikato police region alone. The other fatalities were in Northland, where a father and son died, and in Christchurch, where a motorcyclist died after a collision with a car.
In the latest incident, a man died after being hit by a car in Netherton, in the Hauraki district, on Saturday night.
In a Facebook post yesterday, Morrinsville School paid tribute to Casey Walker, who suffered critical injuries in the crash on Friday and died hours later.
The accident occurred on Friday afternoon on Tauhei Road near Morrinsville.
‘‘It is with great sadness that we have to inform our families and whanau of the tragic loss of our dear colleague and much loved teacher, Mrs Casey Walker.
‘‘On behalf of the Board of Trustees, school staff and our school community, we pass on our deepest sympathy and love to the McIntyre and Walker families and whanau.’’
Friends, colleagues and former students were shocked.
She was described as a ‘‘beautiful’’ and ‘‘much loved’’ teacher.
Morrinsville School principal Shay Noonan could not be contacted for comment yesterday.
On Saturday afternoon, the Morrinsville Rugby and Sports Club also left a heartfelt message to Walker’s family on its Facebook page.
‘‘We are deeply sorry to hear of the passing of Casey Walker early this morning after a terrible accident yesterday [Friday].’’
Walker was trapped and had to be freed by emergency services, police said in a statement. Her husband, the only other person in the car, suffered minor injuries.
‘‘We appreciate the efforts of all the emergency staff who did everything they could to save her into the early hours of this morning, the rugby and sports club post went on to say.
‘‘Our hearts and thoughts are with the families.’’
Late on Saturday, emergency services were called to Wharepoa Road, 16km north of Paeroa, about
9.50pm, where a pedestrian had died after being hit by a car. Police said they were speaking to the car’s driver and that the Serious Crash Unit was investigating.
On Friday, a father and son died in a crash involving a petrol tanker in Northland.
The victims were 31-year-old Porsche Nepia and his son,
11-year-old Tyrhys Hita.
The pair were from Ruakākā . And in Christchurch the same day, a motorcyclist was killed barely 24 hours after police issued an advisory calling for motorcyclists – and all other drivers – to be safe following four motorcyclist deaths in the region this year.
On Saturday, two people were killed in a three-vehicle crash south of O¯ to rohanga in the King Country.
The crash happened about
9.50am on State Highway 3, about
5 kilometres south of the Ōtorohanga township and north of the intersection with Golf Road.
The accident involved a headon collision between two cars and a third car was caught up in the accident.
Robert Gibson, who lives near the Ōtorohanga crash site, said it was raining at the time he heard ‘‘a solid thump’’ of cars colliding.
‘‘We do see quite a few crashes on this stretch of road. Usually it’s people just going too fast for the conditions,’’ Gibson said.
Subsequent to that crash, emergency services were kept on high alert after a van following the diversion route crashed in a ditch.