A coroner has urged wineries and other rural businesses to strengthen alcohol policies after a young worker died in a car crash shortly after finishing his shift.
Daniel Evan Oyaga, 30, was killed when his car rolled on Dominion Rd in Mapua, Tasman, only minutes after leaving work at Gravity Cellars on March 21, 2022.
In findings released today, Associate Coroner Daniel Moore found that Oyaga died from “multiple severe traumatic injuries from a motor vehicle accident”.
Oyaga had just completed his second 12-hour shift as a cellar hand before socialising with colleagues at the winery.
Oyaga, who lived in Richmond with his wife, was “excited and energetic” about his new position, the coroner said.
Staff sampled wine after work, a common practice described as part of developing skills and familiarity with the product.
Shortly after 7pm, he left driving a Toyota Ractis.
At 7.12pm, he lost control on a wet bend, crossed into a ditch, and his vehicle rolled several times.
Despite wearing his seatbelt, damage to the driver’s seat allowed him to be thrown from the car.
Police crash investigators found he was travelling at 122km/h in an 80km/h zone and had not braked in the five seconds before impact.
Senior Constable Stephen Lamont, of Tasman police’s serious crash unit, concluded that the crash was caused by Oyaga “being unable to maintain control while navigating the corner”, due to a combination of him travelling at excessive speed and “his vehicle placement and alignment when entering the curve”.
Toxicology tests showed a blood alcohol concentration of 126 milligrams per 100 millilitres – more than double the adult legal limit of 50mg.
While cannabis was also detected in his blood, the coroner found no evidence it contributed to the crash, noting THC can remain present long after impairment subsides.
Gravity Cellars’ owner, Booster Wine Group (BWG), had a drug and alcohol policy in place at the time, which largely reflected national guidance, Coroner Moore wrote.
It specified that transport would be provided for “larger events”, but not for informal after-work tastings.
The coroner noted that wineries are often in rural areas with limited transport options, heightening the risk of staff choosing to drive after drinking.
“While there is a significant element of personal responsibility in these situations, I also consider that the employer has some responsibilities too, particularly where it is hosting the event and it is (at least tangentially) associated with the work,” Coroner Moore wrote.
He recommended that businesses limit alcohol use to specific staff events where transport can be organised.
The findings are being referred to New Zealand Winegrowers for consideration of further education across the sector.
Moore sought comment on his recommendations from BWG, who provided response that it was surprised that Oyaga was over the legal alcohol limit, given that his colleagues who were present did not see him drinking more than a small amount of alcohol and that he was not seen to be visibly intoxicated.
BWG’s response noted that “this raises the point that often it is not obvious whether a worker has had too much to drink before driving home, which we, and other wineries, must bear in mind.”
BWG confirmed it had begun reviewing its staff alcohol policy and supported sharing the findings with the wider industry.
Coroner Moore extended sympathies to Oyaga’s family and friends for their “very tragic loss.”
Ben Tomsett is a multimedia journalist based in Dunedin. He joined the Herald in 2023.