Bus crash scene 'complete battle zone'

By REBECCA WALSH

A 30-year-old Ranui woman is in Auckland Hospital with serious injuries and her partner is dead after a bus crashed through the median barrier of the Northwestern Motorway, colliding with oncoming traffic.

The dead man was Bernard Ferguson Igatia, aged 35, of West Auckland.

Eight people were taken to Auckland Hospital after the crash, near the Waterview interchange about 9.30 on Saturday night. Two people remained in hospital last night.

Senior Constable Stu Kearns of the Ellerslie Motorway crash investigation unit said the accident was one of the worst he had seen.

"It was a complete battle zone with wreckage and people everywhere ... I was certain when I saw it there would be a lot more fatalities than one."

The crash happened when a Ritchies Coachlines' bus travelling in the left lane towards the city was hit by a car travelling in the same direction.

The collision forced the bus to veer across the road and smash through the median barrier before colliding with three west-bound cars.

The bus landed on top of one car, trapping the driver, who later died.

The 17-year-old male driver of the car that hit the bus has been charged with an alcohol-related offence. More charges could be laid. It is understood about 13 passengers were on the bus, travelling from West Auckland to Downtown.

The accident took place on a slight bend in the motorway where the city side of the road is slightly elevated. The median barrier, which was nearly a metre high, is made from wooden posts and Armco sheeting.

Police want to hear from anyone who saw the accident, or saw a dark blue Mazda RX7 sportscar which was travelling towards the city.

Senior Constable Kearns, who was at the scene again yesterday, said he was appalled by the behaviour of passing motorists who flouted the law and risked their own lives in trying to see what had happened.

"My staff were confronted with a horrific scene. What added to it was the absolutely senseless behaviour of ghoulish passersby.

"We had in excess of 40 to 50 cars parked in the citybound safety shoulder, people in dark clothing, standing in the middle of the highway to see what was going on ... it was like there was a circus come to town."

The accident forced the closure of the motorway until about 8 am yesterday. It was closed again in the afternoon so police could carry out further scene examinations and skid tests.

Ritchies Coachlines manager John Ritchie said the driver of the bus was discharged from hospital early yesterday morning. He was understood to be "okay but in shock."

"The driver himself did a very good job as far as the accident was concerned. There's no blame for the driver whatsoever. He's clear. He's a driving instructor and has certificates as long as your arm."

Mr Ritchie said the driver would be given time off work and counselling if he needed it.

Mr Ritchie said it was the first fatal accident involving one of the company's buses in nearly 70 years of operation.

Transit New Zealand Auckland regional manager Terry Brown said the median barrier was designed to cope with limited "glancing blows" from heavy vehicles.