Police name third person killed in a fatal Desert Rd crash

Name: Watch: Three dead, one critical in Desert Rd crash after car and truck collide
Uploaded: 2016-07-18T12:38:11+12:00
Duration: 43 s
Description: A car which collided with a truck, killing three people, on State Highway 1 is believed to have crossed the centre line. The crash occurred on the Desert Rd, on the central plateau, at Rangipo, north of Rangipo Intake Rd, about 7.15am.

Newstalk ZB

20 Jul, 2016 05:48 AM2 mins to read

A car which collided with a truck, killing three people, on State Highway 1 is believed to have crossed the centre line. The crash occurred on the Desert Rd, on the central plateau, at Rangipo, north of Rangipo Intake Rd, about 7.15am.

Taupo Police have named the third person killed in a fatal car crash on the Desert Road on Monday morning.

Arshpreet Kaur Sidhu, 23, a woman in New Zealand on a working visa, was travelling in the back seat of the car when it collided with a truck at about 7am.

Police had already named the two other passengers who died.

Monalisa Alofaifo, 20 was a Samoan national with New Zealand residency and Twinkle Ansal, 21, an Indian national who was in the country on a student visa.

Walking towards the morgue hoping that the body I am Identifying won't be yours . Seeing you lying down on the bed...
Posted by Joban Sidhu on Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Sidhu's sister, Joban Sidhu, shared a heartfelt message to her sibling on social media.

"Walking towards [the] morgue hoping that the body I am identifying won't be yours. Seeing you lying down on [the] bed, cold and calm, hoping that you will just get up and say: 'I was joking'.

"If we would have known what was going to happen, we would never let you go. You were a great sister and an amazing friend - a beautiful person with a beautiful heart and great soul who cared about the whole world."

Sidhu's sister said although she now knew her sibling was gone, she still hoped for her to knock on the door.

"Still telling my heart that it's just a bad nightmare...Love you forever.''

Sidhu's death has touched many within the Punjabi community both in New Zealand and overseas.

A friend told the SBS Punjabi radio station that Sidhu was raised by her grandparents and had been planning to file for their visa from her first salary.

Grieving friends have also paid tribute to Twinkle Ansal, who was described as an intelligent, caring and fun-loving guy.

"He was a hardworking young man and he's also a type of person that anyone would [want] to be friends with because he knows how to joke around and keep you company,'' one told the Herald.

The friend said the 21-year-old loved to socialise with his friends and was always up for spending time with them when he was free.

The 21-year-old man who was driving the car, also an Indian national on a student visa, remains in a critical condition in Waikato Hospital.

The truck driver was not injured.