Denise Mortensen, mother of crash victim Logan Wright, speaks about the tragedy.
A crash impact was so intense all four wheels of the car became airborne, while the truck driver was thrashed up and down in his seat, a coroner's inquest has heard.
Giving evidence during the afternoon of the inquest was landscaper Desmond Tamaki who was standing about 20m away from the vehicles on Oparure Rd on January 13, 2016.
The truck driver, John Turner, took seven weeks off work and only suffered minor injuries.
Turner was charged with three counts of careless driving causing the deaths of the three friends but he was eventually acquitted by Judge Kim Saunders after a trial in the Te Kuiti District Court in May last year.
But Turner, along with Tamaki and police officers, were back in the stand today giving evidence before Coroner Mike Robb.
Tamaki was first to give evidence after the lunch adjournment and recalled hearing Turner's truck make its way up Oparure Rd towards McDonald's Lime Quarry, now called Graymont Quarry.
Truck driver John Turner, 73, enters the Te Kuiti Coroner's Court today. Photo / Belinda Feek
He said he made eye contact with Turner as he was about to make the turn and thought to himself, "you're sweet to go".
Turner then looked up the road and back at Tamaki before leaning forward and turning into the quarry.
Tamaki said he then saw a flash out of the corner of his eye.
"As the truck was turning I saw a flash between the trees ... and then I heard screeching brakes. It was a quick flash, it was moving really fast ... and it collided driver's side head-on with the front passenger's side [of truck] and then became airborne."
He then watched as the four wheels of the car, and two wheels of the truck, became airborne.
Smoke was pouring out of the car, which he put down to the brakes locking up, and immediately threw down his backpack and ran to the truck.
Denise Mortensen, mother of victim Logan Wright, visited the site where her son died for the first time today. Photo / Belinda Feek
After checking on Turner he ran around to check on the car's occupants.
The front of the car had crumpled and he couldn't get any response from those inside.
Another truck, destined for the quarry, then arrived and used the driver's phone to call emergency services. He then tried to get the drivers to help alert oncoming traffic, however one truck driver was so shocked he couldn't move from his cab.
Grainger's mother, Lynette McDonald, called Tamaki a "hero" for the effort he put in on the day.
In his evidence, Turner stated he didn't see the car coming as it was obscured by the shadow of trees on the corner. By the time he saw it, he said he was about 10m over the centre line.
He admitted he didn't apply his brakes after seeing the car and said he didn't have time.
Te Kuiti woman Amy Katu was driving the car which collided with a truck on Oparure Rd in January 2016.
Tim Grainger, 26, of Te Kuiti, was in the front passenger seat.
Logan Wright, 19, of Otorohanga.
He told the inquest he was travelling about 65km/h as he turned into the quarry.
He was quizzed at length, with questioning briefly becoming heated between the family representatives in court.
McDonald, along with Wright's grandfather Brett Johnson, repeatedly asked Turner why he didn't see the car.
Turner remained steadfast in his view that it was obscured by the tree's shadows.
When asked by McDonald whether travelling at 65km/h while crossing the centre line was too fast, Turner said it wasn't and he needed the momentum to get safely into the property.
Turner stated that he usually found it safe to turn in to the quarry, despite seeing vehicles coming around the corner. However, on this day, the car was obscured by the tree, something he'd never experienced before.
"They're either side of the tree. I've never been caught out by a car in the trees' [shadow] before."
Asked by the coroner how he had been affected by the crash, Turner said it had been the worst day of his life.
The coroner visited the crash scene earlier in the day. He noted several changes had been made but suggested there may be more to make it safer for trucks entering the quarry.
The family of Logan Wright also took the time to see where he died. It was the first time his mother, Denise Mortensen, had visited the scene.
She became emotional as she described how torturous the past two years had been on their family. Her other son had to give up his job as he had to travel past the crash scene.
She had also been infuriated by the lack of remorse shown by Turner.
"He has no idea the devastation this has caused our family. He's never said a word, not even any remorse, whatsoever. My family has only just come right, after two years."
Mortensen had been at her mother's house in Waihi doing some gardening on her property when she received a call about the crash from a friend about 4pm.
"She said that Amy had been killed in a car accident."
She knew her son would also be involved as she had driven him to court in Te Kuiti that day.
She said the trio were all good friends. Katu and Grainger had gone to school together, while Katu lived with her for a while.
"I was very close to Amy. I knew her very well."
Mortensen said she had been comforted to learn that Katu, who had been driving, hadn't been speeding that day.
Serious crash unit Senior Constable David Tidmarsh gave evidence today she was likely travelling between 80km/h and 90km/h, given the extent of the damage to the car on impact.
