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A young man killed when his motorcycle hit a horse in the middle of the night in the Bay of Plenty was riding without a helmet, working brakes or headlight, police say.
Whakatane Senior Sergeant Bruce Jenkins also said George Jackson Hake-Rangiaho, 24, of Ruatoki, who died around midnight Wednesday, appeared to have been drinking and only had a car learner's licence.
His motorcycle hit a horse in the middle of the road on Ruatoki Valley Road, south of Waikirikiri Marae. He was found around 5.40am yesterday.
"Scene examination and inquiries indicated he had hit a horse some time in the middle of the night, and had lain there for four to five hours before being located," Mr Jenkins told NZPA.
It was raining but the motorcycle had no working brakes and the headlight was not on.
"We have no doubts that had he been wearing a helmet he would have walked away from that crash and we may have never been any the wiser, because all his injuries were head injuries."
The motorcycle appeared to have been travelling at a fairly low speed.
Police found the horse nearby with only a few grazes on its side.
The crash was the third fatal motorcycle accident in Ruatoki in four years where the rider was not wearing a helmet.
It was up to the community to take responsibility to prevent accidents, with police support, Mr Jenkins said.
"It's the attitude of the people really, just leaving stock wandering the roads, not wearing crash helmets, blatant disregard for the road rules like drinking and driving."
On Wednesday, a van had hit a horse nearby. The driver, a local, considered himself lucky to escape injury, Mr Jenkins said.
- NZPA
