Man drunk, speeding in fatal crash - coroner

A coroner has released his findings into two fatal crashes. Photo / File photo

A shed-hand was drunk, speeding and not wearing a seatbelt when the car he was driving failed to take a corner and rolled down a steep bank, a coroner has found.

David Aramoana, 46, died of severe chest injuries about 8am on Friday, January 27 when the car he was driving rolled down a bank on State Highway 45 near Taumarunui, Coroner Tim Scott found.

Mr Aramoana had 185 milligrams of alcohol per hundred millilitres of blood in his system at the time - the legal driving limit for an adult is 80mg.

He was also seen driving at speed and crossing the centre line prior to the crash. He was not wearing a seatbelt.

"It is a reasonable conclusion and common sense to conclude ... that speed and alcohol caused a crash," Coroner Scott said in his finding released today.

"In effect he lost control of the vehicle by failing to turn it to go around a gentle bend."

Coroner Scott also released his findings into the death of 78-year-old New Plymouth woman Doris Bevins Strong.

Mrs Strong died when she was driving north to get new potatoes from a friend on Richmond Rd.

When she was turning off State Highway 3 onto Richmond Rd she collided with a car she had not seen.

Coroner Scott said she made an "entirely appropriate" manoeuvre after pausing on the left side of State Highway 3 before trying to cross three lanes of traffic to turn right down Richmond Rd.

"Sadly Doris did not observe the approaching vehicle. The most likely reason for this is that although she checked either in the rear wing mirror or by turning her head she did not see the vehicle," Coroner Scott said.

Coroner Scott did not make any recommendations following either of the inquests, but sent his condolences to the families of Mr Aramoana and Mrs Strong.