Two crashes near Rotorua have been linked to young people who had been at Jeffrey Gear's tangi. Photo / File
Two crashes near Rotorua have been linked to a former gang boss’ tangi - prompting police concern around the “hoha” behaviour of people affiliated to gangs.
A motorcyclist who had been at former Filthy Few president Jeffrey Gear’s tangi failed to stop for police in Ngongotahā on Wednesday and moments later crashed into a ute on Western Rd, police say.
The rider suffered serious injuries.
A Rotorua resident told the Rotorua Daily Post a carload of “drunk” people crashed into a single-lane bridge northeast of Ngongotahā on Thursday.
The resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the people in the car told him they had been at the tangi.
The crashes come as police made five arrests relating to Gear’s tangi, which ended on Thursday.
Gear died on November 2, aged 47. He was caught up in a large-scale drug-dealing syndicate before he handed in his patch in 2021 and turned his life around.
He went on to become what a Rotorua judge described as a leader and role model.
There was a heavy police presence for his tangi at his Leonard Rd home in Ngongotahā as those who knew Gear congregated for his farewell last week.
A procession of vehicles and motorbikes took his casket on a ride around Lake Rotorua before his burial on Thursday.
Rotorua police area commander Inspector Herby Ngawhika said the arrests were disappointing, given the work police had done with Gear’s whānau to ensure a safe procession.
Charges laid ranged from traffic offences to possession of an offensive weapon. Police issued 20 infringement notices, impounded four vehicles and ordered a fifth off the road.
Ngawhika confirmed the serious crash on Western Rd involved people who had been at the tangi.
He said police saw two motorcyclists speeding on Ngongotahā Rd on Wednesday about 3.45pm, but they disappeared before officers could start a pursuit.
One of the motorcyclists crashed into a ute on Western Rd, near the intersection with Pioneer Dr, a short time later
Ngawhika said the motorcyclist suffered a suspected broken arm, multiple cuts and bruises and “road rash”.
The police serious crash unit attended and closed the road for a few hours while they investigated. He said police were yet to decide if anyone would be charged.
A Ngongotahā resident, who did not want to be named, said she had heard from a neighbour that two motorcyclists were “screaming” down Western Rd and one of the motorcyclists “took off” after the other crashed.
She said she knew the crash must have been serious as the road was closed for a long time.
The Rotorua resident who came across the bridge crash did not want to be identified for fear of retribution.
He said he was driving to Tauranga on Thursday night and came across a carload of gang-affiliated people who had just crashed into the single-lane Mangapouri Bridge on Tauranga Direct Rd, SH36.
He said there were three men and two women in the ute and they were saying they had been at Gear’s tangi and were heading back to Tauranga.
The man said other people in vehicles arrived shortly afterwards and checked to see if they were okay. No one appeared seriously hurt, but their badly damaged ute blocked the middle of the bridge.
“I got back in my car and turned and went the other way ... I didn’t want to go too near them. They were all drunk.”
Police confirmed they received a report of a single vehicle crash on Tauranga Direct Rd at 9.57pm. No one was reported injured, and the crash is being investigated.
Ngawhika said it was a “hoha” (nuisance) that young people associated with gangs were going against the wishes of others to keep everyone safe.
“The centre of the community has had enough of the actions of some of the young ones out there. We are trying to work with them.”