Flowers and an ornament hanging off a branch were tributes left for the five who died in the crash on April 1. Photo / File
A teen's violent offending after losing his father, three sisters and cousin in a crash has been described as "an acute reaction to grief".
That's how Judge Greg Hollister-Jones described Peter Morgan-Rangikataua's Rotorua grief-fuelled crime spree, which included dragging a woman behind a stolen vehicle and running over her, in the days after his five whānau members died.
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Morgan-Rangikataua, 18, pleaded guilty in September to aggravated robbery causing grievous bodily harm, failing to stop for police, driving dangerously (twice) and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle. He appeared for sentencing in Rotorua District Court yesterday."There was a terrible tragedy on April 1 ... You came across the accident scene and you were overwhelmed with the situation," Judge Hollister-Jones said at Morgan-Rangikataua's sentencing. Peter Senior Rangikataua, 44, from Rotorua, was killed alongside his nephew Rangi Rangikataua, 26, from Mokai and Peter Senior's three daughters Michelle Morgan-Rangikataua, 15, Aroha Morgan-Rangikataua, 14, and Kahukura Morgan-Rangikataua in the single-vehicle crash north of Taupō.
Morgan-Rangikataua was 17 at the time and refused to leave the site when he came across the mangled car.
A constable was eventually able to move Morgan-Rangikataua away from first-responders but he then got into someone else's parked $30,000 Toyota Hilux, started it, and began to drive towards the constable.
He deliberately swerved towards the constable, "forcing him to take evasive action to avoid being hit", court documents say.
The teenager then accelerated towards the constable's patrol car and "deliberately crashed the Hilux head-on" into it.
"The Hilux rolled before coming to rest across the road, blocking both lanes. Both vehicles were severely damaged and the Hilux was written off."
Morgan-Rangikataua later said he wished he had done more damage to the police car.
However, Judge Hollister-Jones said the offending was "a massive grief reaction."
"Your reaction on April 1 was something of a suicide wish, wanting to join your whānau who had passed away in the car crash. It describes the offending as being driven by poor impulse control related to poor mental wellbeing, shock and unresolved historical grief."
Three days later the teen had been on methamphetamine, was running late for his father's tangi and wanted to go home to shower and get ready when he offended again, the court heard.
Judge Hollister-Jones said Morgan-Rangikataua started using drugs at age 12 and was a heavy marijuana user by age 14, which progressed to methamphetamine use by his late teens.
Morgan-Rangikatau was "suffering the direct effect of trauma, that was still continuing" on April 4.
"Your offending was impulsive and an acute reaction to grief," Judge Hollister-Jones said.
At 11am that day, Morgan-Rangikataua was a passenger in a Ford Falcon that chased another vehicle for 8km through Rotorua suburbs.
Both cars stopped at the Rotorua International Stadium on Devon St.
There was a "verbal and physical altercation" between the drivers. Morgan-Rangikataua then got into a nearby Ford Courier.
Two people tried to stop him - a woman reached for the keys, grabbed his jacket and the door but Morgan-Rangikataua kept driving.
She lost her grip and fell, and a rear-wheel ran over the lower half of her body.
Morgan-Rangikataua did not stop to help and drove away, court documents say.
The injured woman was taken to Rotorua Hospital by ambulance and had surgery to repair a ruptured bladder.
She had internal bleeding and grazes on her right hip, abdomen, lower leg and arm and was "in a lot of pain". She spent six days in the hospital.
Shortly after the incident, police spotted Morgan-Rangikataua driving the stolen Ford Courier on Vaughan Rd, Ōwhata and followed with sirens and flashing lights going.
The chase continued on Te Ngae Rd then back towards the city centre, on to Sala St then through Fenton Park, Glenholme, Mangakākahi, Fordlands, Pukehangi, and Westbrook.
At times, Morgan-Rangikataua went at speeds up to 120km/h, drove on the wrong side of the road and ran red lights. Other vehicles were forced to stop or take evasive action to avoid a collision.
The vehicle was spiked on Sunset Rd but it was not until both passenger-side tyres had fully deflated that Morgan-Rangikataua stopped and was arrested on Pukehangi Rd.
Morgan-Rangikataua later said he was threatened at the stadium by people he did not know and he did not realise he had run over the woman.
He admitted he knew police were chasing him in Ōwhata.
Judge Hollister Jones said the injured woman "has suffered from serious ongoing effects including ... post-traumatic stress disorder [and] post-concussion syndrome".
A large family contingent supported Morgan-Rangikataua in court.
Defence counsel Erin Reilly said her client would live with his "supportive" uncle and his employer also wanted to ensure the teen remained motivated and mentally stable.
She handed over an apology letter from Morgan-Rangikataua, which Judge Hollister-Jones said showed remorse and empathy to the victim.
"You wished it had been you who was injured," he said upon reading the words.
Morgan-Rangikataua stood maintaining eye contact with the judge throughout his appearance.
The only time he spoke was to quietly thank Judge Hollister-Jones when he learned he was not going to prison.
His sentence was reduced to account for his youth, time already served in custody and his guilty pleas to all five charges.
He was sentenced to seven months and two weeks' home detention and disqualified from driving for 18 months.
WHERE TO GET HELP:
If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111.
OR IF YOU NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ELSE:
• 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)
• https://www.lifeline.org.nz/services/suicide-crisis-helpline
• YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633
• NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7)
• KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
• DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757 or TEXT 4202
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