Car crashes off road
Wet and slippery road conditions may have played a part in a car crashing off Pipiwai Rd into a ditch yesterday about 12.30pm. Police called to the Kamo crash said the sole occupant was very lucky to escape unhurt. He was checked by St John staff at the roadside. Sergeant Claire Carter said it was a reminder for motorists to drive to the conditions.
Woman admits ticket scam
A Whangārei woman has admitted duping concert goers out of their money for non-existent tickets in an online scam. Tacita Joyce appeared in the Whangārei District Court yesterday and entered guilty pleas to 11 charges of obtaining by deception. The Facebook scam involved more than 20 fictitious tickets offered over the internet between December 2018 and April 2019 to concerts including Six60, Homegrown, Billie Eilish and Fat Freddy's Drop. The 19-year-old, from Morningside, was remanded on bail to appear again for sentencing on October 8. Judge David Sharp ordered a reparation report be done before sentencing and restorative justice be carried out if victims wanted to participate.
Driving charges
A Whangārei man allegedly tried to run a police vehicle off the road and assaulted an officer, the Whangārei District Court heard yesterday. Senior Sergeant Ian Row said that when police signalled the driver to stop about 1.45am on Sunday he did not. During a short pursuit on Maunu Rd a police vehicle was rammed, Row said. When the driver stopped there was allegedly a roadside altercation with an officer.The driver was breath tested and recorded a breath alcohol level of 658 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit for drivers aged 20 and over is 250mcg. Malua Fiti Hei, 37, appeared yesterday on charges of failing to stop, driving with excess breath alcohol for the third or subsequent time, resisting police, assaulting police, driving while disqualified and reckless driving. He was remanded in custody to appear again on July 8.
Kerikeri community meeting
Community group Our Kerikeri is meeting tomorrow in a follow-up to its March launch, which drew more than 320 people keen to make the town a better place. The meeting will start at 7pm (doors open at 6.30pm) at the Turner Centre on Cobham Rd and will present the group's vision and draft plan for more feedback before they are finalised next month.
In court over collision death
A man charged with stealing petrol and dangerous driving causing the death of a former Northland woman has been further remanded in custody without plea. Randall Kevin Wilson, a tattooist of Hikurangi, appeared in the Whangārei District Court yesterday charged with dangerous driving causing death, stealing petrol valued at $108.35 from Caltex Oakleigh and possessing a metal pipe for smoking cannabis. Wilson was remanded until July 31. On June 19 emergency services were called to Oakleigh after a northbound car and a vehicle driven by Wilson exiting the Caltex Service Station, collided about 5.50pm. The northbound vehicle flipped and the driver, a 54-year-old former Northland woman, died at the scene.
