Sahil Prasad died in a crash when his car was driven into by drunk driver Jack Halliday (inset), on the outskirts of Hamilton in July 2023. Composite Photo / NZME
Sahil Prasad died in a crash when his car was driven into by drunk driver Jack Halliday (inset), on the outskirts of Hamilton in July 2023. Composite Photo / NZME
A WorkSafe “assessment” into a contracting company’s policies around its staff’s alcohol use when driving company vehicles has found “some inconsistencies”.
The inquiry was made into Matamata’s J Swap Contracting after its employee killed a man while driving a work ute when drunk.
Worker Jack Halliday had a few after-work drinks at the company’s premises on July 21, 2023, before heading to the pub with his colleagues.
At the pub, Halliday notched up a few more drinks before making the fatal decision to drive home to Hamilton.
During the drive, he crashed head-on into a vehicle being driven by Sahil Prasad.
At the time, Prasad, 24, was travelling to his home in Eureka but was struck by Halliday’s vehicle after it crossed the centre line. He died at the scene.
Halliday was jailed for 22-and-a-half months when sentenced on a charge of driving with an excess blood alcohol level of 144mg, causing Prasad’s death. The legal limit is 50mg.
Following the criminal proceedings, Coroner Ian Telford held an inquiry into Prasad’s death, given the stark similarities to two other fatal crashes just two months later.
Ronnie Kohi Hoera Takao and Brock Moffat died in September 2023 in unrelated crashes.
Both had left social gatherings and, despite being urged not to, had driven anyway.
Takao’s blood alcohol level was more than five times the legal driving limit. Moffat was three times over.
Both were speeding and affected by cannabis. Takao also had methamphetamine in his system.
At the time, Coroner Telford said “the only blessing was that other people were not hurt or killed”.
The remains of Jack Halliday's J Swap Contracting work ute after he crashed it into a vehicle driven by Sahil Prasad and killed him in July 2023.
But in releasing Prasad’s findings today, the coroner said his death “illustrates that point with tragic clarity and shows the extensive and devastating consequences that can flow from making such high-risk choices”.
He reiterated NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi’s (NZTA) message about drink-driving: “Do not do it under any circumstances and do everything you can to stop anyone else.”
Witnesses: He was using his phone
Slightly more detail has been uncovered in the coroner’s findings into Prasad’s death, including that witnesses reported seeing Halliday on his phone in the moments before the crash.
After finishing work at 5.53pm, Halliday had five drinks with his J Swap Contracting colleagues in their Matamata workshop.
CCTV footage showed the 26-year-old leaving his work ute at 8.15pm and heading to a pub in Matamata.
There, he met several workmates whom he had dinner with and drank “several” more handles and “at least” two whiskeys.
One of his co-workers, who was not drinking, was concerned Halliday was over the limit and suggested he stay at his place or another associate’s, as he’d done previously.
Rahil Prasad and his family (from left) mother Ashima, father Rajesh, and sisters Shyla, 12, and Seenal, 28. Photo / Prasad family
But Halliday declined and left the bar at 10.45pm. He drove back to Hamilton and took the quieter roads on his travel.
Around this time, Prasad was travelling from Hamilton to his home, which he shared with family.
The tracking system in Halliday’s vehicle sent his employer an alert that he was speeding at 101km/h.
The employer texted him, telling him to slow down.
At 11.19pm, Halliday approached Newstead on State Highway 26, on the outskirts of Hamilton.
Prasad was in a line of traffic when the vehicle in front of him took evasive action as Halliday’s vehicle drifted across the centre line and into Prasad’s car.
He suffered several brain and head injuries and died at the scene.
When spoken to by police, Halliday – who had been sentenced for drink-driving seven months earlier – admitted to drinking but said he believed he was under the limit.
Rajesh and Ashima Prasad at their son's memorial site on State Highway 26, Newstead, last year. The couple remain devastated by their son's death. Photo / Mike Scott
As for the crash, he said he remembered “looking down and then looking up and then hitting the headlights” in front of him.
The coroner’s findings state Halliday couldn’t recall why he looked down.
“This evidence conflicts with other witness statements who reported that Mr Halliday had said that he was using his phone when he crossed the centre line,” the coroner stated.
Halliday also indicated he hadn’t been sleeping well before the crash.
A serious crash investigation found that alcohol was a contributing factor, while fatigue and distraction were also “elements”.
WorkSafe assessment – ‘some inconsistencies’
As Halliday was driving a work vehicle, WorkSafe carried out an “assessment” – not an investigation – to identify J Swap’s level of compliance under the Health and Safety at Work Act and discovered “some inconsistencies”.
WorkSafe found after-work social events were “normal practice”, typically on a Friday; however, the company’s policies didn’t detail any controls to ensure workers stayed within the legal driving alcohol limit.
J Swap was required to make five changes, including reviewing its policies and procedures and whether alcohol should be allowed in the workplace at all.
The company was contacted by NZME for comment this afternoon to confirm whether any or all of the recommendations had been completed, but it has yet to receive a reply.
‘It’s like it still freshly happened’
Meanwhile, Prasad’s father, Rajesh Prasad, told NZME today that despite Halliday being ordered to pay $4500 reparation, they were yet to receive a cent.
The family was declined ACC and Sahil’s vehicle was not insured, meaning they’ve been left not only broke but heartbroken.
Rajesh Prasad said his wife, Ashima, was still just as devastated about her son’s death almost two years on.
