Mother weeps at Unimog inquest

The mother of the driver in a fatal Unimog crash near Queenstown last year wept yesterday as she told an inquest of the nightmare her family had endured since the accident.

Privates David Partington, 17, Ashley Goodwin, 19, and Shane Ohlen, 21, were killed when their Unimog mounted an Armco roadside barrier on State Highway 6 and plunged about 70m into the Kawarau River.

At the inquest in Queenstown yesterday, Mrs Kevine Partington told the Army's master driver that she was angry her son died because he was being trained on an "unforgiving" road.

"You can't just say, 'OK, it's a narrow road, we will learn from that'," she told Warrant Officer Class 1 Mark Mortiboy.

"I did not want my son to be killed for that reason and I hope no one else goes through what we have gone through, because at the moment we are living our worst nightmare and we will continue to for the rest of our lives."

Neale Partington said he had accepted his son was driving the Unimog on February 23 last year, but was concerned the Army had no "concrete piece of evidence" other than the memories of other trainee drivers.

"I would like to see the instructors on the course know who is behind the wheel at every single stage of the course.

"There will always be that little bit of doubt that David was driving, or wasn't driving."

Warrant Officer Mortiboy then asked coroner Alan Macalister if he could make a statement not usually heard at an inquest.

"If you have any other questions, now or at some other stage, feel free to ask," he told Mr and Mrs Partington.

"Don't be intimidated by this dress, or the title someone has given me.

"I suppose in your mind you may have a question of whether you think David, or any other student, has been forced during or since the accident to accelerate too fast through the Army driver licensing system.

"That is the responsibility we are entrusted with and we take very seriously.

"While I understand, as best I can, what you are left to live with ... we would not have travelled that section of road if my instructors and senior staff were not comfortable."

Warrant Officer Mortiboy said that, as a parent of a teenager, he would be "comfortable" with his child undergoing the Army's current driver training.

Mr Partington later thanked Lieutenant Colonel Tony Hill, commandant of land operations training centre, for admitting there were inadequacies in the Army driver training system and for trying to address them.

"Hopefully, you will have ongoing audits ... not just wait until the next accident," he said.

During an adjournment, Mrs Partington said she had forbidden her son to apply for his driver's licence at the age of 15.

She had agreed to 16, but had wanted him to wait until he was 18.

She said even Private Partington was surprised by how fast he obtained his heavy-traffic licence through the Army's accelerated system.

Mr Partington said he accepted his son was an inexperienced driver, but said all drivers were at the age of 17.

Hearing the issue discussed during the inquest was hard, he said.

Mrs Partington felt they had been well looked after by the Army, which had kept them informed "so we didn't turn on the telly and find out something that is a surprise".

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES