Topp Phonphong's brother Uthai Phonphong (inset) was killed in a crash two years ago, and he is pleading with motorists to not put other people's lives at risk. Photos / Alex Cairns, Supplied
Topp Phonphong's brother Uthai Phonphong (inset) was killed in a crash two years ago, and he is pleading with motorists to not put other people's lives at risk. Photos / Alex Cairns, Supplied
His comments come as police data put the Bay of Plenty’s road toll for 2023 at 36 — about one every 10 days. The district is made up of four policing areas — Rotorua, Taupō, Western Bay and Eastern Bay. The most road deaths in 2023 were in Taupō where 12 people lost their lives.
Topp, 34, a Tauranga restaurant manager, said it “riled” him to hear tens of thousands of people were also caught speeding, driving impaired by alcohol or drugs and flouting the mobile phone ban in the Western Bay of Plenty this year.
“I’m enraged by that, and in my opinion it’s selfish for people to do this. They will never know the extent of the loss we have suffered, " he said.
His brother, Uthai Phonphong, was driving home to his wife and two daughters from his job at the Kwang Chow Chinese Restaurant in Mount Maunganui in January 2021, when the crash happened on the Tauranga Eastern Link, State Highway 2. Uthai died at the scene.
The driver of the other vehicle, Benjamin Dods, 30, of Kinloch, was sentenced to four years and eight months’ jail after pleading guilty to Uthai’s manslaughter and two drug charges.
Topp said his brother was working 60-hour weeks, but never made it home to spend precious time with his family due to Dods’ “selfish actions”.
He said close family members would gather at Uthai’s gravesite at Pyes Pā cemetery on the anniversary of his death and his birthday in April.
Tauranga chef Uthai Phonphong, 38, died in a head-on crash on the Tauranga Eastern Link in January 2021.
“We cook his favourite food, present it to him and light some incense. I usually light a cigarette as well, as Uthai used to steal cigarettes from me.”
A tearful Topp said he thinks about his brother every day and all the missed chances to stop Dods from driving before the crash.
“He has robbed us of the opportunity to spend time with my precious brother and no amount of living can fill that hole. But we just try to do our best to live life to the fullest and ensure Uthai will never be forgotten,” he said.
Topp said he wanted drivers to “put themselves in other people’s shoes and listen to the police”.
“If this were to happen to you, think how your family would feel,” he said.
“Just be careful out there and slow down. Small or big speeders, it doesn’t matter — the moment you cause a crash you’re all criminals.”
Toll down, but officer not celebrating
Western Bay and Tauranga road policing data shows during the nine months to September 30, 15,309 drivers were pinged for speeding, 2406 for flouting the mobile phone ban, nearly 1000 for impaired driving, and 1770 for not wearing seatbelts.
The trend continued with more than 1000 motorists caught for the same type of offences in November, including 792 speeders.
The district’s road toll stood at eight after Brayden Tawa, 27, of Pāpāmoa, died when a truck and the car he was a passenger in collided in Hewletts Rd on December 27.
The deaths of two people the next day on State Highway 29 near the Kaimai Summit would be added to Waikato’s road toll.
The wider Bay of Plenty toll of 36 was down on last year’s 60 — which was well up on the 2021 and 2020 totals of 41 and 39 respectively.
Western Bay of Plenty district road policing manager Senior Sergeant Wayne Hunter. Photo / Alex Cairns
Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Wayne Hunter told the Bay of Plenty Times risky driving behaviours were “absolutely rife” in the district.
“I can’t believe the number of seatbelt and cellphone offenders we’re catching. It’s just phenomenal and very disappointing.”
Speed and inattention were factors in several road deaths in the district this year, he said.
The 2023 road toll was a lot lower than the usual 15 to 20 deaths, but he said it was only due to first responders and “by the grace of God” there were not more.
Hunter said most of the serious-injury crashes and fatalities occurred on state highways.
“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to realise it’s the speed you’re going and inattention that increases the risk of a crash.”
The slightest mistake “could be devastating”, and Hunter said he was “annoyed and disgusted” by the attitudes of some drivers caught speeding or on their phones.
“They often complain and suggest to us we should go after the big speedsters or ‘the real criminals’.”
“But as we know, they could be coming up to a pedestrian crossing while on their phone and take someone out.”
He said motorists should allow plenty of time to reach their destination.
“Try not to make stupid decisions like illegally passing another vehicle just to get to your destination quicker. It will keep me happy and probably your family as well, “ he said.
December 18: Janice Nada Christensen, 78, and John Munch Christensen, 82, Rotorua
December 27: Brayden Tawa, 27, Mount Maunganui
Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She covers mainly police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.
