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Home / New Zealand

Runaway car mangles Masterton property

By Cherie Taylor
Wairarapa Times-Age·
21 Nov, 2013 03:47 AM3 mins to read

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DAMAGE: A Subaru Legacy crashed through Vicki Thompson's Roberts Rd front fence as the driver travelled down French St and missed the corner. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

DAMAGE: A Subaru Legacy crashed through Vicki Thompson's Roberts Rd front fence as the driver travelled down French St and missed the corner. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

A home owner says it's time Masterton council took action after an out-of-control "boy racer" wrought havoc on her property.

Last Friday in the early hours a car ploughed through Vicki Thompson's wooden fence, destroying a goldfish pond and ripping up lawn and gardens earmarked for a coming wedding reception.

Wooden palings and pieces of four-by-two posts were scattered across the yard as the car slammed into a large rimu tree about 30m into the front garden.

One post narrowly missed a window where someone was sleeping.

Damage left in the driver's wake included a smashed front fence, a drained fish pond and dead fish, damaged corner of the home and torn rose bushes and box hedges which were pulled from the ground. Glass and debris has been strewn across the front yard including the front bumper of the car.

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Ms Thompson said it's the second time in 18 months a car has ploughed through her Roberts Rd fence, and she wants speed calming devices installed.

She had been at school camp in Kaitoke with her daughter when her housesitter rang to say a "boy racer" had rocketed through the fence at speed.

Emergency services found the driver unconscious. He was cut from the Subaru Legacy and taken to Masterton Hospital. He has since discharged himself.

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"He must have really been flying. There is no sign of him braking," she said.

The car had ripped up roses planted by the previous owner in memory of her 20-year-old son who had been killed in a car accident, she said.

"This was our haven and it has just been shattered."

She was forced to tell friends, who were to host their wedding in her normally beautifully manicured garden, that they couldn't get married there.

"It's so disappointing."

But the worst thing for the children was the death of around 40 gold fish from the pond.

"They were flapping around ... it was quite traumatic for the kids to see the fish in this state."

Daughter, Samantha, 9, said it was horrible to see the fish had died. It's her job to feed them. "I really loved them. It's sad."

Ms Thompson has lodged a complaint with the Masterton District Council, saying speeding cars in the area were becoming a problem.

She believes speed calming devices need to be installed in the area.

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"It's not getting any better. The burnouts are getting worse and more and it's only a matter of time before some innocent person dies."

A spokesperson for council said they are looking into the problem.

Sam Rossiter-Stead said, "we have been made aware of this, we are looking at any measure we can take".

Meanwhile, the Times-Age understands the driver has been charged and will appear in court at a later date.

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