Soldier killed in horror smash

The family of a decorated soldier have spoken of their grief at his death in a crash that broke every rule - and left two teenagers dead.

Decorated soldier and father-of-three Mark Sydney, 45, and teenagers Dylan Perkinson, 17, and Vance Williams, 16, died in the smash on State Highway 2 late on Friday night.

Brennan Mayor and Kane Stewart, also 16, who were passengers in the car driven by Perkinson, were critically injured.

The crash happened at 11.45pm south of Waihi and 40km north of Tauranga.

Perkinson was driving on a restricted licence, not wearing a seatbelt, speeding and on the wrong side of the road, said police.

Among the wreckage was a Waikato Draught beer box and remnants of cans of a pre-mixed bourbon drink.

Sydney had just finished his shift at Spring Hill Corrections Facility and was 10 minutes from home when his vehicle was struck by the car containing the teenagers.

Their out-of-control Subaru crossed the centre line into the path of Sydney's Nissan, splitting it in two, preliminary inquiries have found.

Dylan and Vance, who were in the front seat, were thrown from the Subaru. It is believed neither were wearing seatbelts. Sydney was killed and his body trapped in his vehicle. No one else was in his car.

A third vehicle travelling close behind was unable to avoid the crash but the driver - Arushi Arushi - suffered only minor injuries.

Police Sergeant Dave Litton said: "It's the worst accident I've ever seen in my 12 years. It was like a war zone."

He said wet weather, alcohol and speed were factors.

"It's the worst job you could ever do - to knock on four sets of parents' door and the wife of the dead man in the middle of the night to inform them there had been a crash.

"The hard thing for all the emergency services was they all knew some of the people there. Those four boys are a talented group of young guys. In no way were they troublemakers."

St John rural support officer Eion Hicks said the accident was "one of the worst" in a 37-year career.

Sydney's brother-in-law Steve Hawkes said the crash robbed a family of a husband and father - and took a hero from New Zealand.

"Everyone's devastated. He really loved his wife and boys and he was an asset to New Zealand," he said.

Sydney spent more than 20 years in the Army and his overseas postings included Bosnia and Afghanistan.

In 2007 he was awarded a New Zealand Order of Merit for his work in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2005 and 2006. Sydney and his wife Andrea recently built their dream home on family land in Katikati where they planned to settle with their family.

The injured were transported by three ambulances to hospital.

Vance Williams, the youngest son of Sandra and Kevin, had lived at Waihi Beach all his life. Sister Charmaine, 24, said he was a funny guy who talked non-stop.

"He was always taking the mickey," she said. He was also survived by brothers Konrad, 23 and Arva, 20.

Vance played rugby for Waihi College and surfed and played roller hockey.

Eileen Coulter, whose son Shaq was friends with Vance, said he was "conscientious and safe".

"He was one of the kids I wouldn't imagine in a car accident."

Arushi, 22, reached the crash scene seconds after the impact while heading home to Tauranga.

She swerved through the wreckage into a paddock, sustaining minor chest and arm injuries. She said she was shaken and had been unable to sleep since the crash.

Sandra Tocker was watching television when she heard a sound "like an explosion".

She heard a girl crying for help and rushed out to find a car in the front paddock. She saw one of the teenagers dead in the middle of the road and another lying dead next to the wreckage of the Subaru.

"It was a horrific scene," said Tocker. "I came back ... thinking life has gone in a second. It wakes you up."

Mum Natalie Lloyd, 49, of St Heliers, was spending the summer at Waihi Beach with son James, 16, who knew the dead and injured teenagers through Waihi Surf Lifesaving.

"I'm relieved he came home safely last night," said Lloyd. "Parents are always seen as overprotective but it is your worst nightmare - a policeman at your door in the middle of the night when you are expecting your child home."

Paige Baker, 16, of Waihi Beach, a friend who grew up with the teens in the car, was among 60 friends who visited the crash site yesterday. Young people sobbed as they laid flowers among debris left in weeds on the side of the road.

"They are all good guys," said Baker. "They all got along with every one else. I'm just gutted."

Barry Barlow, owner of the Hot Pipi Cafe where Kane's mother Joy works and a firefighter at Morrinsville, said: "It's a bloody disaster. It's a tight little community and everybody knows everybody."

Waihi Beach Community Board chairman Murray Craig said there was a feeling of "shock and horror" over good kids who "made a bad decision".

"They're just kids being kids - 16 and 17-year-olds climbed into a car at nearly midnight and that was the first mistake," he said.

The boys were all involved with Waihi Beach Surf Lifesaving. Kane was due to return to Katikati College this year while the other three went to Waihi College.