Nathan Isaac's sister Nadia Healey said her brother only became a Mob member this year. Photo / Supplied
Nathan Isaac's sister Nadia Healey said her brother only became a Mob member this year. Photo / Supplied
One of the men who died when a car crashed down a bank and into a Hawkes Bay river was a newly patched Mongrel Mob member, his family says.
Three Mongrel Mob members died when their car plunged into the Mohaka River near Wairoa on Saturday.
The dead are Terry Shane Stone, 31, Ronald Rigby, 53, and Nathan Isaac, 29.
Terry Shane Stone was allegedly one of three Mongrel Mob members who died when their car drove off the road and into the Mohaka River. Photo / Supplied
A fourth man survived the 150m fall and it's thought the men's car may have been run off the road by another vehicle - an idea which is causing tension between gangs in the aftermath of the incident.
And Mr Isaac's sister Nadia Healey told Fairfax Media her brother was a family man with a sharp sense of humour.
He only became a Mob member this year, she said.
"He was definitely a one-of-a-kind character, quite the comedian and could make anybody laugh. He could make friends with any type of person, he had a bit of a charm about him," Ms Healey told Fairfax.
Ronald Rigby has been identified as one of the three Mongrel Mob members killed when their car drove off the road and into the Mohaka River. Photo / Supplied
"He only joined the Mob this year, so for 28 years of his life he was just a rugby player and worker."
Police are now investigating the possibility a third car was involved in the crash.
It is also possible that evidence was removed from the scene soon afterwards.
When questioned about this, police Eastern District communications manager Kris McGehan told Hawke's Bay Today: "That is part of the investigation."
Police had still not found a blue Japanese model vehicle with a dented bonnet being sought in connection with the inquiry. Nor had they spoken with anyone in such a vehicle.
On Monday, crash investigator Detective Senior Sergeant Brent Greville said evidence at State Highway 2 scene uphill of the Mohaka Viaduct underpass just south of Raupunga suggested the possible involvement of a second vehicle.
Police were not aware of any witnesses to Saturday's crash. The white Honda carrying the four men to a Mongrel Mob Hastings chapter 50th anniversary at Te Aute crossed the road and crashed over a barrier and down a bank, coming to rest in the river an estimated 150 metres from the road.
The Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter Service rescued the sole survivor, a man it said was aged 44, from the riverbank near the vehicle. He was not seriously injured, and was taken to Wairoa Hospital from where he was discharged on Monday.
The police wouldn't know whether the man had swum to safety or been thrown out of the vehicle until he had been interviewed fully.
A resident of the community in which the man is thought to have grown-up said he understood the man could remember little apart from the vehicle "spinning".
Ms McGehan said that extra police resources had been brought to Hawke's Bay to help.
Police divers assisting the Airforce in the recovery of the car from the Mohaka River on Monday. Photo / Paul Taylor
In the aftermath of the crash, there were reports of rising gang strife throughout the country.
But an Eastern Districts police spokeswoman said they had received no reports of gang trouble or incidents between gangs.
The Department of Corrections said there had been "no noticeable increase in incidents" attributable to gang tensions in jails this week.
Hastings mob president Rex Timu told NZME News Service on Tuesday all Mob and Black Power members around the country needed to quell trouble between them.
"There's been a couple of incidents around the country that have sparked things off," Mr Timu said.
"We want to put a lid on it. To everyone around the country, just stay calm.
