A motorcyclist killed in a quadruple fatal crash over Easter weekend was an ex-army commander who was happiest while riding.
Phillip Woodham was one of the four victims of the horror crash in Pukaki, near Lake Tekapo, on Saturday.
The crash involved two vehicles and Woodham on his motorcycle between Hayan Road and Tekapo Canal Rd, on State Highway 8 in Pūkaki.
Patriots Defence Motorcycle Club South Island president Darren Dumble expressed the club’s extreme sadness upon learning of the death of their “brother-in-arms, Woody”.
“Woody was a real genuine Kiwi who loved to ride and loved his mates.
“He loved nothing better than turning up to a club function with a cheeky grin and a bunch of tall stories told with a dry wit,” he said.
The Patriots is a motorcycle club for former or current members of the worldwide defence forces.
Woodham served in the NZ Army as an infantry soldier and section commander.
“To be a section commander, you need to have an excellent rapport with the troops, something Woody would have excelled in.
“Woody loved his bike, he rode a Harley very carefully.
“He was never one to tear up the road, if anything, he would loiter around the back of the group, taking in the view and just being happy he was with his mates.”
Dumble said he experienced Woodham’s caring nature on a six-day riding trip last year.
“During that trip, I saw that his happy place was on the bike, cruising up and down the West Coast of the South Island.
“Before I set off, he would always tell me to ride safely and was always looking for me at the designated meeting point.”
“Woody was, by his own words, the most popular guy in the Patriots.
“Maybe that was because of his outrageous luck on the pokies, but mostly it was because of his easygoing manner and warm handshake.
“I reckon if they could have invented a cigarette that worked on a motorcycle, he would have almost no reason to stop for a break.”
After working in the army Woodham had many jobs including on fishing boats. His last role was as a truck driver.
“The last time I saw Woody, he was planning a weekend away with the chapter to Berlins on the Upper Buller Gorge,” Dumble said.
“We will continue that planning and make it an annual event called ‘Woody’s Ride’.
Dumble thanked the police and first responders who attended the accident.
“I really wish that they could have a long weekend or holiday with their families without being called out to attend a tragedy.”
Police told the media “a complex and lengthy investigation” lies ahead following the crash.
University of Canterbury students Megat Ashman Aqif Megat Irman Jefni and Wan Nur Adlina Alisa also died following the incident.
Jaime Lyth is a multimedia journalist for the New Zealand Herald, focusing on crime and breaking news.