Timaru crash scene witness, Melissa Bryce shares her experience. Video / George Heard
As the families of the five teenage boys killed in a car crash in Timaru on Saturday night plan their funerals, friends continue to flock to the scene of the tragedy to try and make sense of it.
Flowers, balloons, personal notes, photos, trinkets and keepsakes are growing at thescene.
Teenagers gathered throughout the day, spending time at the spot where their friends Javarney Wayne Drummond, 15; Niko William Hill, 15; Jack "Jacko" Wallace, 16; Joseff "Joey" McCarthy, 16; and Andrew Goodger, 15, were all killed.
Five teens were killed and the driver injured when this car crashed near Timaru on Saturday night. Photo / George Heard
The Timaru teenagers were all passengers in a Nissan Bluebird that smashed into a concrete power pole.
The impact was so severe, it sliced the car in half.
Only the driver, Tyreese Fleming, 19, survived.
He remains in Timaru Hospital and is in a stable condition.
Fleming, who was on a restricted licence, has not responded to requests for comment but posted an apology to the families of the five dead boys on Sunday via social media app Snapchat.
Aoraki Area Commander Inspector Dave Gaskin said yesterday it was too early to say if the driver would be charged.
"We won't be speaking to the driver until we have got a little bit more information - obviously the investigation is very early days at the moment, and it would be better to speak to him when we have as much information as possible," he said.
"From observations at the scene, I suspect both speed and alcohol were factors."
He said it was obvious some of the boys were not wearing seatbelts.
One of them was in the boot when the car crashed.
Niko Hill. Photo / Supplied
"It's like baking a big cake," said Gaskin. "When you have got all the ingredients you are always going to have a disaster at the end of it.
"Timaru is a town but it's a small town and people know people - some of my staff know all the young men involved. I happen to know one of the families," he said.
"It's incredibly sad and it puts it into perspective.
"The problem with the police is we tend to go to disasters all the time and we are very good at dealing with it but this occasion means it's actually quite personal and close to you."
A car meet up planned for Friday night in memory of the boys has been discouraged by police - and others.
The event is scheduled for 6.30pm and attendees are invited to turn up in "loud" cars and "tear up" the road near the crash before holding hands, singing and paying tribute.
