Driver admits he caused Te Puke double fatal crash

The intoxicated driver of a car which crashed into a Te Puke garage and killed two men had been arguing with one of the deceased moments before the crash.

Tugu Wilson, 30, was behind the wheel of a Kia when he lost control and it crashed into a two-vehicle garage on residential property in No 1 Rd on June 30, killing kiwifruit workers Barry Tari, 24, and Hamsen Surai, 32.

Wilson pleaded guilty to two charges of causing death with excess blood alcohol in the Tauranga District Court today.

He admitted to driving with 141 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in his system at the time of the crash.

The adult legal limit is 80 milligrams.

Each charge attracts a maximum penalty of 10 years' prison and a mandatory licence disqualification of at least one year.

The police summary of facts revealed Wilson had been drinking before getting into the car and heading home with Surai and Tari seated in the rear of the vehicle and another unnamed person in the front seat.

On the way home, Wilson and Surai were arguing and about 1.33am, Wilson lost control of the car.

The car skidded across the road, over a grass berm and into a garage, colliding with the two vehicles parked inside, and crashing through one of the garage's walls on to the lawn outside.

Both Tari and Surai were dead when emergency services staff arrived. The front seat passenger suffered minor injuries.

Both of the vehicles parked in the garage were written off from the damage, and the garage needed to be pulled down.

Wilson told police that he had drunk three shots and some Scrumpy cider.

Judge Tony Snell convicted Wilson on both charges and remanded him on bail for sentencing on October 7.