When Northland teen Jaedyn-Reign Mafi missed his bus to Auckland he convinced his dad to drive him, despite his mum’s request for him to delay the trip by a day.
He then hugged his mum and told her he loved her before she reminded him to make sure he was home by Sunday.
“‘I promise mum, I love you’ and off he went,” Natasha McDonald said.
That was the last time the Whangārei woman saw her son alive.
The 17-year-old was killed, and his father Victor Apoua was injured after their car was hit by drunk driver Shane Leslie Amson, who had been driving recklessly for at least 3.5km.
When McDonald was called to the scene by police who said there had been an accident, she assumed it was minor and her partner and son needed a ride home.
”She [police officer] told me he had passed at the scene and he did not make it. I remember screaming, collapsing feeling so much pain and I heard the screams from my daughter,” McDonald said in her victim impact statement which was read during Amson’s sentencing yesterday.
The court heard the 44-year-old was two times over the alcohol limit and was travelling at a speed of 165km/h at the point of impact. He had also consumed cannabis and his car had no registration or warrant of fitness (WOF).
Mafi was thrown from the car and died at the scene. His father suffered multiple injuries.
Mafi was from a large blended whānau and lived in Whangārei with his father, his father’s partner McDonald and several siblings.
He often split time with his biological mother, Gina Rakuraku and her whānau and wanted to go to Auckland to see them but missed his bus on June 9, 2023.
McDonald suggested he wait until the next day when they were heading there and could take him but he wanted to go straight away so his dad agreed to drive him down.
He then said “I’m going now mum, where’s my hug mum?’”
“I walked up the steps and held him he hugged me so tightly and told me he loved me.”
She said he was transitioning from a boy into a man who was hard-working, passionate and loyal.
But now he was gone.
”He was taken from us, our son was robbed. He’s gone, it’s all gone.”
The High Court at Whangārei was filled with Mafi’s loved ones, including his uncle Tausani Mafi Apoua who read a statement that highlighted the impact the teen’s death had on the wider whānau, the loss of a legacy.
“You are more than a killer, you are a thief of the worst kind. You have stolen so much from me, my wife and my family.
“You have stolen our legacy and heritage.
“Time is not in our favour, time is a slow knife in my heart.”
The summary of facts read in court highlighted the multiple aggravating features that meant prison was the only possible outcome for Amson who was jailed for three years and 11 months.
At around 7pm on June 9, Amson was driving north along the Ruakākā straights south of Whangārei and was witnessed by at least four drivers who encountered his reckless driving.
The first witness was driving north and saw Amson coming from behind crossing the centre line multiple times.
As he overtook the first witness he estimated his speed at around 140km/h as Amson remained in the southbound lane for up to 50m before pulling in.
The second witness reported Amson also overtook him at high speed on a double yellow line.
The third witness saw Amson coming behind passing around five vehicles and as he attempted to pass him, he had to pull in to avoid a head-on collision and estimated Amson was travelling at around 160km/h.
The fourth witness was also travelling north and said Amson passed her at around 150km/h and she knew, a sharp bend was approaching.
The witness said she saw a flash of tail lights and a cloud of debris but had to continue through as she had a young child with her.
Apoua saw Amson coming towards him and tried to avoid the crash but was unable to.
Mafi was ejected from the car and passed away at the scene and his father suffered multiple fractures.
Amson was charged in February this year with manslaughter and reckless driving causing injury and pleaded guilty in July.
Justice Mathew Downs said Amson had a criminal history associated with misuse of drugs and alcohol and although the car had no WOF or registration, there was nothing to suggest the car was unsafe.
“This was persistent, dangerous and reckless driving that led to death,” Justice Downs said.
Amson had since engaged in significant rehabilitation programmes and Justice Downs acknowledged the restorative justice process that had taken place, his genuine remorse and Apoua’s request Amson not be sent to prison.
“The victim’s request is a relevant consideration, but it is one amongst others. The sentence should be consistent with the offence and the outcome largely turns on the seriousness of the offending.
“Those who kill through dangerous reckless driving typically receive a term of imprisonment.”
Amson was also disqualified from driving for four years and ordered to pay reparation to the whānau.
Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.
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