Family grieves teen's death

A Northland family is grieving for a 17-year-old son and brother killed when a vehicle flipped south of Whangarei.
Police have not yet released the name of the dead teenager and say it could be some time before they speak to his devastated family, several of whom who were also involved in the accident.
Waipu police Senior Constable Martin Geddes said the teenager died in Whangarei Hospital after the accident on State Highway One, about 13km south of Whangarei at 10pm on Sunday.
Mr Geddes said the teenager and a 12-year-old boy were passengers in a 4WD vehicle driven by a close family member. Their vehicle was towing a car containing two other family members.
After the two northbound vehicles rounded a gentle bend near Hewlett Rd between Mata and Oakleigh, the tow rope had snapped and the front vehicle lost control.
"It rolled on to its roof, flipped back on to its wheels and the momentum has made it bounce over the barrier and roll down the bank. It ended up, from what I've been told, on its side with one of the passengers under the vehicle _ a 12-year-old boy. Passersby and parents and others have lifted it on to its wheels and that person has survived."
Mr Geddes said the 17-year-old was thrown about 8m clear of the vehicle, ending up on the ground near a cattle race that passes under the road.
The boy and teenager were taken to Whangarei Hospital. Although the older boy's injuries had initially not appeared to be life-threatening, sadly he had later died in hospital.
Mr Geddes said the people travelling in the towed car were all uninjured.
Yesterday the roadside was still littered with debris; the impact of the accident had bent the thick metal of the roadside barrier.
Mr Geddes said the tow rope was "properly reinforced" and he ruled out alcohol as a factor in the incident.
"We don't know how it happened or why it happened. There was a loss of control. I don't think it would be caused by the rope snapping."
He said interviews with the teenager's devastated family might not happen for a couple of weeks.
Mr Geddes praised people who had assisted with the aftermath.
"They were very very helpful."
The police serious crash unit is investigating the smash - one of five road fatalities during the Easter Holiday period.
Near Matamata yesterday afternoon, a motorcyclist died when he collided with a tractor. A motorcyclist also died after hitting a car on Waingaro Road in Te Kowhai, just north of Hamilton earlier in the day. Inspector Paul Marshall from the police northern communications centre said the motorcyclist died at the scene.
On Good Friday, Alexis Gordon Michalaros, 37, of Mt Eden, Auckland, was killed after a seven-car crash on Auckland's southern motorway.
The Easter road toll is well down on last year's total of eight.