Car pooling takes on new meaning

Driving cars into swimming pools is normally the practice of rampaging rockstars, not Whangarei teenagers.

But Whangarei resident Grant Whyte awoke on Friday night to find a Mitsubishi V3000 had ploughed down a bank and into the family swimming pool.

Whangarei police Sergeant Peter Toms said the car's driver was heading down Memorial Dr, took a left-hand corner too fast, and ended up in the Whytes' pool.

A 20-year-old man had been charged with dangerous driving and would appear in Whangarei District Court on Friday.

Mr Whyte said he heard a huge splash and knew his worst fears -- another car had ended up in his pool -- had been realised.

Eighteen months ago, a Toyota Celica ploughed into the section and damaged the 39,000-litre in-ground pool.

"This is the fifth accident here in two years," he said.

Mr Whyte estimates the damage from the latest crash to be at least $25,000.

"The force of the bow-wave was such that it emptied half the pool, and the splash broke my bedroom window and soaked the carpet," he said.

He is concerned that had his family been enjoying a barbecue by the pool, the out-of-control car would have caused a fatality.

"The chairs and tables were in splinters and pushed up against the barbecue. Somebody could have been killed," he said.


- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)