Timaru crash: Five dead, driver stable - all local teenage boys. Video / George Heard
Five people killed in a horrific crash in Timaru were all local teenage boys - and speed and alcohol were factors in the tragedy, police say.
The Nissan Bluebird sedan - which was cut into two when it struck a power pole - was also overloaded, and one of the victims was found in the vehicle's boot.
Aoraki Area Commander Inspector Dave Gaskin spoke to media from Timaru Police Station this morning and said five young men – all aged 15 and 16 – had died. The driver - believed to be 19 - survived the crash and is in hospital.
All were Timaru boys.
There were six people in the car, and not all were wearing seatbelts. Photo / George Heard
"Timaru's a very small community ... It is a tragedy and it will reverberate around our community for a long time," Gaskin said.
Police with the car, which snapped in half in the fatal crash outside Timaru. Photo / George Heard
One of the teenager's grandparents came to the crash scene this morning, and said they wanted to get an understanding of the place where their grandson died.
A member of the public driving along the road discovered the crash, and called emergency services last night.
Police with the car, which snapped in half in the fatal crash outside Timaru. Photo / George Heard
Gaskin confirmed one of the dead boys was found in the boot of the car.
He said his thoughts and prayers were with the family of the young men.
The crash happened at an intersection just north of Timaru. The car is understood to have struck a concrete power pole on Seadown Rd. Photo / Kurt Bayer
"They woke up today to a nightmare that won't go away," he said.
Police are yet to speak to the driver, who is understood to be a 19-year-old in a stable condition at Timaru Hospital.
There were six people in the car, and not all were wearing seatbelts.
"Cars are not toys," Gaskin said.
"When not used properly, they are extremely dangerous."
"Five young boys at that age losing their lives is terrible," Gaskin added.
The car was overloaded, and police said there were insufficient seats and restraints for the number of people travelling.
The crash happened at an intersection just north of Timaru. The car is understood to have struck a concrete power pole on Seadown Rd. Photo / Kurt Bayer
The vehicle involved was a Nissan Bluebird sedan.
The car was snapped in half on impact with a concrete power pole on Seadown Rd outside Timaru at about 7.30pm.
Gaskin said all five deceased were "Timaru boys", the impact on the local community would be huge, and he knew the family of one of the boys himself.
Gaskin confirmed someone had called 111 about "anti-social road users" earlier last night and staff were out before the crash.
The area, which had long straights, was a favourite for boy racers, he said.
Police in attendance at the crash near Washdyke last night. Photo / George Heard
Gaskin added: "Unfortunately young people in vehicles do silly things and sometimes the consequences are serious".
All families had been informed, Gaskin said, but the identities of the boys would not be released until all next of kin had been informed.
"To have five lives lost in an instant is a terrible tragedy, and our thoughts are with their families," Superintendent Steve Greally, of the National Road Policing Centre said.
Police said the crash happened at the intersection of Seadown Rd and Meadows Rd in Washdyke, at about 7.20pm.
A resident phoned 111 at about 6pm last night to complain about "boy racers" he claimed were racing and doing burnouts.
"The last thing I said to the call-taker was, 'If you don't send someone out here, someone will get killed', and 90 minutes later, we had this," said Ray Colvill, 70, who visited the scene this morning.
Police confirmed at 8.51pm last night that a number of people had lost their lives in the crash near Washdyke. Photo / George Heard
The intersection where the accident happened had a smooth surface, with rubber from previous burnouts, plus some shingle on top, Colvill said.
"This will be extremely devastating," Timaru mayor Nigel Bowen said.
"It is devastating for the district, and from what I hear, a lot of kids were pretty frantic last night trying to find out if their friends were involved," he told Newstalk ZB.
