Northland news in brief: Meet the candidates in Hokianga; and stock truck tips over

A meeting to help people decide who to vote for in October's election is being held in Kohukohu on Sunday.

Te Ara Ihutai is holding a meet the candidates event on Sunday at Pikiparia Mārae, Kohukohu.
The forum will give whānau and Hokianga communities the opportunity to hear candidates kōrero about their roles, party and respective policies. All candidates form the Northland and Te Tai Tokerau electorates have been invited to attend.
It will start at 12.45pm at Pikiparia Mārae, Smiths Deviation, Kohukohu.

Stock truck rolls

No animals were killed when a stock truck tipped in Northland yesterday, but the driver was treated for minor injuries.
The stock truck tipped on Mititai Rd, Waiotira, about 2.28pm yesterday and while some of the animal tipped out, they were not badly injured and were uplifted by another truck.

Crash victim named

The 22-year-old man who died following a crash on Whangārei Heads Rd in Tamaterau on Saturday, September 12 was Robert Roy Elliot. Police said his death has been referred to the Coroner.
Elliot was driving east on the road just after midnight when he lost control on a moderate corner at Tamaterau, rolling the vehicle for about 25m. He was flown to Auckland City Hospital in a critical condition and died there on Thursday.

Bus crash accused remanded

A man who allegedly crashed into a school bus while fleeing police was denied bail when he appeared in the Kaikohe District Court on Tuesday. Quinton Hamilton, 29, of Kaikohe, was charged with dangerous driving, failing to stop for police, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and threatening to kill following an incident on September 17 in which a car and a Motatau School bus collided head-on.
There were no children on the bus at the time but the driver was shaken and the bus was badly damaged. Hamilton allegedly ran off but was caught by a police dog in nearby scrub. At the time he had warrants for his arrest on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, wilful damage, burglary and threatening behaviour. He was further remanded in custody and will again apply for bail by audio-visual link on October 6.

Teen shooting accused denied bail

A Kawakawa teenager who allegedly shot a man at close range earlier this year was refused bail when he appeared in the Kaikohe District Court on Tuesday. David Mane, 19, faces 27 charges including wounding with a firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, reckless driving and burglary. The most serious charges stem from a firearms incident on Wynyard St, Moerewa, on June 20. Mane is due back in court for a case review hearing by audio-visual link on November 24.

Man discharged over bomb scare

A Whangārei man who pleaded guilty to making a joke about a bomb on an Air New Zealand flight has avoided a conviction.
Damien Tokutaahi Hadfield, 26, appeared in the Whangārei District Court this week where he pleaded guilty to a charge laid under the Civil Aviation Act.
Hadfield had joked that his relative had a bomb in his bag as the August 24 flight from Whangārei to Auckland prepared to take off.
The relative was kicked off the flight and his luggage searched, though nothing of concern was found and the flight took off after a delay.
Judge Greg Davis discharged Hadfield without conviction.