Teen fatal crash driver charged

As Louise Reichenbach (second from right) lay trapped, she sent her apologies to sister Tammy (left) for an argument they had had. Photo / Supplied

Charges will be laid against over the deaths of two young people killed when an overcrowded vehicle lost control on a road near Foxton.

Bailey Hohepa Kinita, 14, and Louise Diane Reichenbach, 20, died when the Ford Telstar they were travelling in lost control and rolled on Foxton Beach Road in February.

There was speculation the rolled car had been racing another vehicle.

Miss Reichenbach, a recently qualified occupational therapist, was believed to have been sitting in the front footwell of the car, next to the front-seat passenger when the crash happened.

Four others were in the backseat and at least one, Bailey, was flung from the car when it rolled several times.

St John Ambulance officers were not able to revive either of the dead, but took the five others to Palmerston North Hospital, two seriously hurt and three with moderate to serious injuries.

A male and female were later discharged, while three men were flown to Wellington Hospital, and remained in intensive care in a serious condition this morning.

The 19-year-old driver of the rolled vehicle was this morning arrested and charged with two counts of manslaughter and four counts of dangerous driving causing injury over the crash, police said.

The driver of a second vehicle - a 23-year-old man from Foxton - has been charged with two counts of being party to manslaughter and four counts of being party to dangerous driving causing injury.

Both men will appear at Levin District Court this morning.

- NZ Herald staff