One of the Mongrel Mob members killed in a crash on the way to the gang's 50th anniversary celebrations at the weekend died on his late grandfather's birthday.
TerryShane Stone, 31, was a father of two, and died alongside two other Mongrel Mob members on Saturday after their car plungeddown a bank into the Mohaka River.
They were Ronald Rigby, 53 and Nathan Isaac, 29.
Mr Isaac was also a father. His partner Jaz Ruawai said he would be missed.
"Fly high my love, my babies daddy, my headache, my sadness, my happines, my everything. We love you and we are gonna miss you so much," she wrote on Facebook.
A fourth man survived but has not been named. All four men were from Wairoa.
Mr Rigby was a long-serving member of the Mongrel Mob and was no stranger to the courts and news headlines.
Ronald Rigby. Photo / Supplied
In 2012 he was one of six members jailed after an intra-gang shootout at their gang headquarters in Wairoa. Police, including armed offender squad officers from Gisborne were called to the gang's headquarters after a shooting linked to a leadership dispute.
In 2004 Mr Rigby managed to elude police for more than three months after he allegedly stabbed a rival Black Power gang member outside the Wairoa Courthouse.
Police are investigating whether another car ran the men off the road.
Nathan Isaac. Photo / Supplied
The Herald has learned that Mr Stone died on his grandfather Jerry's birthday. Jerry Stone died in February this year, aged 76. The family had also been rocked by other deaths this year.
"As a family we are hurting . As a family we have mourned four times already this year and this will be the fifth. Those that died were elders with absolutely no gang affliations," his cousin Aperira Stone said.
According to a family notice posted on the Wairoalive website Mr Stone is survived by his partner Erica and children Blayde and Kingston. The family notice described him as a loved son, moko, nephew, brother and uncle.
The relative said he was a good man.
"Pressures of living in a small society can lead you to join a gang. He did not have a broken home nor was his mother an old lady to any (gang) member," said Ms Stone.
Mr Stone had 12 siblings.
His brother Deejay posted a photograph on Facebook saying "rest eazy my brother Terry Dog".
It is understood other members of Mr Stones family are Mongrel Mob members.
Many people have taken to social media to suggest the gang members who died did not deserve sympathy because of their choice of lifestyle.
Ms Stone urged "keyboard warriors" not to judge him if they did not know him.
"He was a good man," the cousin said.
"Pressures of living in a small society led him to wear a patch. Still human though and no he wasn't scum."
Earlier today an Air Force helicopter was used this morning to try to retrieve the car the victim and three others were travelling in on Saturday when it plunged into into the Mohaka River near Wairoa.
Photo / Hawke's Bay Today
Two other men were killed and the fourth survived. It is understood the car may have been run off the road by another vehicle before it plunged 150m down a bank and into the river.
Police have yet to release the names of the victims or survivor. They were all from Wairoa. A crane was unable to reach the car yesterday and police confirmed this morning that the chopper would be used.
Firefighters at the scene of the crash near the Mohaka Viaduct. Photo / Paul Taylor
They said it "should have better manouvreability" and may be better able to reach the white Honda that remains submerged in the river.
SH2 around Mohaka will be closed from 10am until midday and diversions will be in place.
Police are continuing to investigate the fatal crash and are appealing for sightings of a blue car with a dent in its bonnet that may have been involved.
Detective Senior Sergeant Brent Greville said police could not confirm who had been driving the car or who it belonged to.
"We have found evidence at the scene that suggests a blue car may have been involved, but at this stage we have no more information about it," he said.
"We'd like to hear from anyone who may have seen a car fitting that description travelling on the highway on Saturday afternoon."
Police are liaising with family of the three men killed in the crash, while a fourth man was released from Wairoa Hospital on Saturday night after being treated for minor injuries.
