New Year pedestrian deaths referred to Coroner

No charges will be laid in relation to the death of a 49-year-old Kerikeri man on Inlet Rd, pictured, in the early hours of January 1. PHOTO / FILE

No one is to be charged over the deaths of two pedestrians in the Far North in the early hours of January 1.

The lack of charges, and the fact both deaths have been referred to the Coroner, means police believe the drivers were not at fault.

In the first incident 49-year-old Charlie Junior Rihari was hit by a ute as he was walking on Inlet Rd in Kerikeri, near the intersection with Pa Rd, about 1.15am on January 1. The father of three died at the scene despite efforts to save him.

An hour later Chloe Hope Hartigan, 17, of Tokerau Beach, died after she was struck by a car on Oruru Rd just south of Taipa.

Both pedestrians had been at New Year's Eve parties.

Inlet Rd has a footpath but Mr Rihari was walking on the road. A motorist had to swerve to avoid him when he lunged into the path of the car a few minutes before the fatal collision. When that driver returned a few minutes later Mr Rihari had already been struck by another vehicle.

Oruru Rd has neither lighting or a footpath. Miss Hartigan was walking on the left hand side of the road when she was hit.

Senior Constable Warren Bunn, of the police Serious Crash Unit, said no one would be prosecuted in relation to the deaths.

The two fatalities were tragic for the victim's families but also traumatic for the drivers involved.

While it was well known that drinking and driving didn't mix, drinking then walking home on rural roads with high-speed traffic - especially when there were no footpaths or streetlights - was also risky.

He urged Northlanders to have a plan for getting home safely after going out at night.

The Coroner will make a formal ruling on the factors that contributed to the two deaths.