Constant crashes into fence concerning Kaitaia residents

Monte Pawa, Jnr, is wondering when his and his family's luck will run out.

Kaitaia man Monte Pawa, Jnr, doesn't know if he and his family should feel unlucky, because cars keep crashing into their fence, or lucky, because so far no one has been hurt, or worse.

Mr Pawa was deeply unhappy last week, after a car ploughed through a corner of his front fence on Pukepoto Road, taking out the letterbox, the street sign and a power box, crossed Orchard Place and skidded across the neighbour's lawn, coming to a halt just short of the house.

An 18-year-old man, who was not hurt, was summonsed by police for driving with excess alcohol (330 micrograms - the legal limit for teenagers is zero) and whilst forbidden.

He told police he had lost control when he swerved to avoid an oncoming vehicle in his lane.

Mr Pawa wasn't buying that, but whatever the explanation he was furious that his fence had been damaged, for the third time.

"Incredibly there was no harm to anyone or damage to the neighbour's house. We thank the Lord that our families were safe, as the car could easily have gone straight through their house and caught fire," he said.

The first time Mr Pawa's fence was "taken out" the culprit was a drunk driver, whose truck smashed into a parked car a few houses up, catapulting it across the footpath then continuing into the fence.

The second time was a drunk driver who parked slightly higher up the hill but forgot to apply his handbrake, the vehicle rolling backwards into Orchard Place, eventually demolishing the side fence.

"But hey, that's not all I'm angry about," he added.

"Get this - not one of these people have ever apologised, or have even attempted to come back to fix our fences. My father has done his version of DIY to fix them, only for the front fence to be flattened again.

"My parents, who are mighty hard workers, and struggle to make ends meet, have been told that it's our problem. This is ridiculous. It should not be our responsibility or problem.

"There was a time when the first thing someone would have done after destroying a fence would have been to offer to fix it, but not now. I don't understand people these days."
Mr Pawa was now "reaching out," for help and an answer to his dilemma.

"Our family feel completely unsafe, and we're planning to build a solid stone fence, as we're not certain we will be lucky if there is a fourth time," he said.