By KATHERINE HOBY and NZPA
Motorsport enthusiasts are stunned by the charging of four volunteers over an accident at the Queenstown Classic car race two years ago in which two spectators died.
The four men face a variety of charges, the most serious of which is manslaughter.
Terence Robert Tubman, aged 35, of Queenstown, and James Bruce Mackie, 36, of Arrowtown, were killed when a Holden Torana driven by Blenheim's Kel McBeath ploughed into a group of spectators.
The pair were in a group of six watching the race when two cars clipped each other.
The Torana left the road, was launched off a bank and became airborne.
A 55-year-old Christchurch company director was granted interim name suppression when he appeared in the Christchurch District Court on manslaughter charges yesterday.
He also faces a charge of unlawful injury and was charged jointly with William Duncan Forsyth, a 64-year-old company director of Queenstown, Russell William Jenkins, a 37-year-old Invercargill mechanic, and Keith Francis Douglas, a 68-year-old company director, with criminal nuisance.
Douglas, Jenkins and Forsyth appeared in the Invercargill District Court.
They also faced a joint charge of failing to ensure the safety of the public at the 1998 event.
All four were remanded on bail without plea to appear in the Queenstown District Court on December 11.
MotorSport New Zealand president Steven Kennedy said he and his staff had been helping police with their inquiries for two years and were "absolutely shocked" at the charges.
"Shocked is actually too gentle a word to use," he said.
"Gutted would be a better word."
Mr Kennedy said police had requested an international circuit inspector to come to New Zealand to help with inquiries.
Motorsport NZ was stunned that police had not waited for that inspector to arrive.
The decision to proceed before the inspector's report was "exceptionally harsh" on those charged.
Some of those charged had worked as volunteer officials at motorsport events for over 30 years, said Mr Kennedy.
Motorsport, like many other sports, relied heavily on volunteers.
"Volunteers are the heart of New Zealand sport. This really strikes at that heart," he said.
"This case raises serious questions for officials and volunteers in any sport or leisure activity that includes risk to either participants or spectators."
Mr Kennedy said Motorsport NZ would back the four officials 100 per cent and pay all legal costs.
Inspector Phil Jones, the Queenstown police area controller, said the arrests ended a long and complex investigation.
He said it was inappropriate to comment further as the case was before the court.
Four charged over car race fatalities
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