Teens rally around driver of killer crash

Two teens died and seven others were involved in this crash near Taradale, Napier. Photo / Hawkes Bay Today

A survivor of the horrific crash that claimed the lives of two Hawke's Bay teens last weekend says he and his friends don't blame driver Tamoko Christy.

Tim Wilson, 18, was among seven people in a van that collided with a car and hit a bridge on State Highway 50, near Taradale, at 2am last Saturday.

Police said Tamoko had been drinking.

Max Harman and Robert Waikari, both 17, were flung from the van into the shallow river below and died at the scene.

Robert's girlfriend Jordyn Beach, 17, was also catapulted from the vehicle. She was found by police walking from the riverbed to the road with serious injuries.

The remaining passengers were taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital.

On Saturday afternoon, one of them, 18-year-old Ben Morrison, was flown to the intensive care unit at Wellington Hospital in a critical but stable condition.

His condition was yesterday listed as serious.

Tamoko was discharged on Saturday, but her boyfriend remains in hospital with five broken vertebrae.

Speaking about the crash for the first time, Tim said Tamoko was "absolutely devastated".

"She definitely blames herself. She has been by [her boyfriend's] side the whole time, she's barely moved.

"No one blames her [for the crash]."

The van belonged to Robert, a Havelock North High School student.

Police said it crossed the centre line and hit a car being driven by Napier 18-year-old Simon Taunt, whose girlfriend Melody Dane was in the passenger seat.

Tim said the group started the night drinking and playing cards at Max's home before driving to Taradale for a party.

A sober driver had been arranged to take the group to the party - and home again afterwards.

"But something happened to our driver and we ended up stuck in Taradale," said Tim.

"We were stuck in the van not knowing how to get home. [Tamoko] hadn't had much, if anything, to drink. She offered to drive us all. We went along with it. We were happy with the decision.

"I just remember swerving, lights and then waking up in hospital."

Eastern Districts Police have spoken to Tamoko, but spokeswoman Kris McGehan said a decision on charges was "several weeks away".

She refused to say what Tamoko's breath alcohol level was at the time of the crash, saying it was "part of the ongoing investigation".

Tim, who suffered cuts to his body and had five stitches to his eye and three staples in his head, said Tamoko went to Robert's funeral on Wednesday and Max's on Thursday. "It was pretty hard."

Jordyn was unable to speak about her ordeal but her mother Barbara said her daughter had managed to attend Robert's funeral at Hawke's Bay Racing Centre.

"We represented her at Max's. She's emotional, very very upset.

"She was Robert's girlfriend for just a month," she said.

"Physically, she's making progress but emotionally she's traumatised."

Jordyn suffered a broken arm and a big laceration on her head. She has given a statement to police.

"It's just amazing that Jordyn actually survived that fall, amazing that she survived what she went through that night," said Barbara.

Robert's mother Carol Johnstone said she wanted people to learn from her youngest son's death.

"No one's perfect and I'm not going to pass judgment on anyone. Make sure your bloody driver's sober," she told One News.

Havelock North High principal Bill Adams said the atmosphere at the school was "very quiet" this week.

"Some [pupils] have had a good cry but realise life has to go on. That is certainly what Robert would have wanted. He was a cheerful, gregarious young man who made friends very easily."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY