A young man who died after a collision between a truck and a car in Whakatū has been remembered as a talented and community-minded Māori leader.
He was Jaydus Hungahunga, 19, of Flaxmere.
Graeme Barrett, deputy headmaster at Hastings Boys' High School, said Jaydus led the school kapa haka group and was deeply embedded in tikanga Māori at the school.
"He always was the leader, and I think that will be the thing that will be remembered by the school," Barrett said.
He said Jaydus had continued to return to the school to help out the school's kapa haka group after graduating, and had been with the group the day before the crash.