Crash victim wanted to 'sing until he died'

The Northland Rescue Helicopter on State Highway 1 after Sunday's crash south of Kawakawa which claimed the life of Phil Pratt and left three others critically injured. Photo / NEST

Phil Pratt loved singing so much he told everyone he'd sing until he died.

And that's exactly what he did — the 87-year-old sang his last number, Silver Wings, at a music club get-together an hour before he was killed in a head-on crash.

The crash, on State Highway 1 south of Kawakawa, was just three minutes from his home.

Pratt was returning from a Little Tennessee Country Music Club session near Pakaraka about 4.30pm on Sunday when the Toyota RAV4 he was in and a northbound Honda Odyssey collided.

He died at the scene while his wife, who was driving, and another passenger were critically injured.

Lois Pratt, 75, and the female passenger, 67, remain in a stable condition in the intensive care unit of Whangārei Hospital. Both suffered multiple fractures.

A service for Phil Pratt was held in Whangārei on Thursday; a second service will take place once his wife is out of hospital.

Shirley May, a founding member of the Little Tennessee Country Music Club, said Pratt had been part of the club for 30 years and a life member for 18.

He also belonged to country music clubs in Whangārei and Mt Maunganui, where the Dargaville-born engineer had set up a business before returning to the North, living first in Kamo and more recently near Maromaku.

"He put his heart and soul into music," May said.

"He loved to sing and he always said 'God has given me this gift, so I'll sing until I die' — and that's exactly what he did."

The 32-year-old driver of the Odyssey suffered moderate injuries in the smash, which occurred outside the oyster shop at Waiomio. His passenger, also 32, was in a critical condition when flown to hospital and remains in intensive care.

While the investigation is continuing police will say only that one of the vehicles lost control in the wet and crossed the centre line into the path of the other vehicle. A witness spoken to by NZME said the northbound vehicle had overtaken her car at speed moments earlier.