Disqualified driver caused two deaths

A man who killed two friends when he sped away from police and crashed into power poles had twice been caught driving while disqualified.

Aaron Tony Tulafono, 21, pleaded guilty in the Auckland District Court yesterday to two manslaughter charges and other driving offences.

Jaycherre Penelope Makakea and Joseph Jack Tawhai were killed in September when Tulafono crashed. Two other passengers were injured.

The court heard that Tulafono was in a Honda Prelude in Onehunga with four friends when police approached him about complaints that a laser had been shone at cars on the motorway.

He took off at speeds of up to130km/h down Onehunga's Church St. His passengers urged him to stop but were told to "shut up".

Police abandoned the pursuit before Tulafono went through two give-way intersections and a red light.

He then failed to negotiate a roundabout and crashed into two power poles. The car travelled a further 40m and ended up on its roof.

The court was told that one of the passengers, Skye Ngatai, has spinal injuries.

Tulafono ran from the scene and turned himself in hours later at the Manukau police station.

The court heard that he told police he had been caught driving while disqualified twice before and did not want to lose the Honda.

Tulafono also pleaded guilty to fleeing police, failing to stop at a crash and check for injuries, driving while disqualified, dangerous driving, and driving dangerously causing injuries to two other passengers.

Judge Lindsay Moore warned him that he was now on his first "strike". He will be sentenced next month in the High Court at Auckland.