A Rotorua teen was "irrational and grief-stricken" at the sight of emergency services around a relative's crashed car. Five of his whānau were dead. Peter Senior Rangikataua, 44, from Rotorua, was killed alongside his nephew Rangi Rangikataua, 26, from Mokai and Peter's three daughters Michelle Morgan-Rangikataua, 15, Aroha Morgan-Rangikataua, 14,
Peter Morgan-Rangikataua lost five whānau in an Atiamuri crash. What he did next landed him in court.
Five of Peter Morgan-Rangikataua's whānau were killed in a crash on April 1 near Atiamuri. Photo / File
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Newly released court documents say the "irrational and grief-stricken" teenager then got into someone else's parked $30,000 Toyota Hilux, started it, and began to drive towards the constable.
That was the start of five offences committed in the aftermath of the crash the teen has now pleaded guilty to.
He deliberately swerved towards the constable, "forcing him to take evasive action to avoid being hit".
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The teenager then accelerated towards the constable's patrol car and "deliberately crashed the Hilux head-on" into it.
"The Hilux rolled before coming to rest across the road, blocking both lanes. Both vehicles were severely damaged and the Hilux was written off."
Morgan-Rangikataua later said he wished he had done more damage to the police car.
Three days later at 11am, Morgan-Rangikataua was a passenger in a Ford Falcon that chased another vehicle for 8km through Rotorua suburbs.
Court documents state both cars stopped at the Rotorua International Stadium on Devon St.
There was a "verbal and physical altercation" between the drivers, Morgan-Rangikataua then got into a nearby Ford Courier.
Two people tried to stop him.
A woman reached for the keys, grabbed his jacket and the door but Morgan-Rangikataua kept driving.
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She lost her grip and fell, and a rear wheel ran over the lower half of her body.
Morgan-Rangikataua did not stop to help and drove away, the documents say.
The injured woman was taken to Rotorua Hospital by ambulance and had surgery to repair her ruptured bladder.
She also had internal bleeding and grazes on her right hip, abdomen, lower leg and arm.
She was "in a lot of pain" and spent six days in the hospital.
Shortly after the incident at the stadium, police spotted Morgan-Rangikataua driving the stolen Ford Courier on Vaughan Rd, Ōwhata and followed with sirens and flashing lights going.
The chase continued on Te Ngae Rd then back towards the city centre, on to Sala St then through Fenton Park, Glenholme, Mangakakahi, Fordlands, Pukehangi, and Westbrook.
At times, Morgan-Rangikataua went at speeds up to 120km/h, drove on the wrong side of the road and ran red lights.
Other vehicles were forced to stop or take evasive action to avoid a collision.
He was spiked on Sunset Rd but it was not until both passenger-side tyres had fully deflated that he stopped and was arrested on Pukehangi Rd.
Morgan-Rangikataua later said he was threatened at the stadium by people he did not know and he did not realise he had run over the woman.
He admitted he knew police were chasing him in Ōwhata.
Three weeks ago, Morgan-Rangikataua appeared via audio-visual link in the Rotorua District Court and pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated robbery causing grievous bodily harm, failing to stop for police, driving dangerously (twice) and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.
He will be sentenced in the Rotorua District Court in December.
