Tribute to loving mother 'always on the go'

Shelagh Cotter. Photo / Supplied

The family of a woman killed when a suspected drink-driver drove into her picnic say they are devastated by the death of a loving, hard-working woman who "tried to get the most out of life".

Shelagh Cotter, 69, died in hospital after the Saturday morning crash near Te Horo, north of Wellington, which flung her 10m over a fence.

She had been sitting in the driver's seat of her car, parked on a grass verge with the door open, enjoying a coffee and a muffin.

Her friend Marilyn Jeffery, 62, who was sitting on grass next to the car, suffered fractures and severe bruising.

In a statement delivered via police today, Mrs Cotter's family paid tribute to a woman who was "always on the go".

"Shelagh was a devoted wife to David Cotter, loving mother and mother in-law to Kathleen and Steve respectively, and an amazing grandmother to 9-year-old Joshua," they said.

Mrs Cotter and her husband had emigrated from Wales in the early 1970s to begin a new life in New Zealand.

She had retired after working as a secretary at the former Wellington Polytechnic school of engineering and was "a highly motivated person who was hard-working, always setting herself goals and tried to get the most out of life".

Her passions were gardening, cooking and family.

"Shelagh's face would shine with quiet satisfaction when she received complements about her beautiful garden and delicious meals," the statement said.

The family said that Mrs Cotter was always on the go looking for things that would hold her interest and kept up-to-date with current affairs.

The family said it was devastated by the death of "a very special person" and needed time to grieve in private.

Alleged offender

The alleged offender, a 37-year-old Lower Hutt man, was tested after the crash at three times over the limit.

The district's police revealed yesterday that on the night of the fatal crash, they stopped 10 other drink-drivers, leading a senior sergeant to ask how many people need to be killed before motorists sit up and take note.

Mrs Jeffery's husband, Don, yesterday called for tougher measures so repeat drink-drivers could not drive.

Hitchhiker sought

Police yesterday said the alleged offender had picked up a hitchhiker about 9.30am on SH1 in Paraparaumu, travelling northbound.

The fatal crash, two hours later, was just a 15-minute drive away.

No description of the hitchhiker is available and it is not known where that person was dropped off, but he or she was not in the car when it crashed.

Detective Sergeant Sarn Paroli said police were extremely keen to speak to the hitchhiker and asked the person to contact them as soon as possible.

"It is quite possible that the hitchhiker doesn't realise that the car they travelled in is the same car that was involved in this fatal crash."

Mr Jeffery said he wanted the Government to put breath testers in cars so drink-driving would become impossible. "We need to make sure [repeat offenders] don't drive."

Senior Sergeant Nick Dobson, of the Central District Traffic Support Unit, said 10 drink-drivers had been stopped in the district on Saturday night.

"How many people need to be killed through drink-driving before these motorists sit up and take note?" he asked.