An inquest into a triple car crash fatality in the Taranaki township of Normanby two years ago is to be reopened amid claims of a police botch-up.
Lawyer Rob Moodie, representing the mother of one victim, told the Taranaki Daily News there were discrepancies in video evidence police
produced at an inquest in July last year.
Aaron Hurley, 22, Paul Cowper, 21, and Rochelle Meads, 22, died when drunk driver Raymond Hansen ploughed into their van on the Normanby overpass, in August 2005.
Two of their friends were injured.
Hansen is serving a nine-year prison sentence for manslaughter.
On the night of the crash, police had followed Hansen as he sped into Hawera, then went to a bar.
His car was kept under video observation, but Hansen somehow avoided police when he left the bar and began driving home.
"I'm angry at what happened," Dr Moodie said.
"Not only did the police muck up on the night, they also mucked up the inquest into their deaths."
Police gave evidence at the first inquest that they did everything they could do on the night and could not disable Hansen's car.
"But three young people died because police either didn't immobilise or ensure that vehicle didn't get back on the road," Dr Moodie said.
One officer had given evidence the police surveillance video did not show which way Hansen's car went when it left the bar.
"But the video did show the way the offender's vehicle went and the police knew that at the time of the inquest. "
An internal investigation by Central District Commander Mark Lammas found the police failed to keep the car in sight as they waited for Hansen to leave the bar.
However, he said the errors did not amount to misconduct or negligence of duty.
Coroner Simon Shera said he had agreed to reconvene the inquest on October 11, following a request by Dr Moodie.
It would be limited to clarification of surveillance camera evidence.
- NZPA
