Tattooist killed in crash given emotional send off

A large crowd of mourners gathered outside David Hart's tattoo studio, Native Ink, on Bank Street in an emotional farewell. Photo/ John Stone

A gifted tattooist killed in a crash has been given an emotional farewell from his central city studio in Whangārei this morning.

David Hart, 45, of Whangarei, died on Saturday after he was thrown from the car he was driving when it crashed off the road and down a bank on the southern side of Lookout Hill, just south of Whangārei.

Whangarei tattoo artist David Hart, who died in a car crash. Photo/ Supplied

Police said Hart was travelling in convoy with another vehicle when they collided in the northbound passing lanes and both vehicles went of the road. The other man aged 25 suffered a broken leg.

Today Hart, who was a well known tattooist and owned Native Inc Tattoo Studio in Whangārei, was given an emotional send off.

A hearse delivered his coffin to the business on Bank St and was taken inside about 11am. About 150 people gathered to pay their respects and included family, friends and neighbours from Raumanga.

A relative said Hart had been tattooing for about 30 years and was a gifted artist who had touched many people with his work.

As the coffin was loaded back into the hearse onlookers performed a haka.

Hart was a member of the Highway 61 gang and there was a large contingent of gang members on motorbikes that lead the hearse away up Bank St to Pipiwai, about 11.55am.

Police said the death had been referred to the Coroner.