Joshua Felise's car is not drivable after the windows were smashed, wing mirrors snapped off and panels kicked in during an out-of-control party near a house he was visiting. Photo / Kelly Makiha
Residents of a Western Heights cul de sac in Rotorua are astonished another party was held at a house the night after a drunken brawl led to three people being taken to hospital and four cars damaged.
Police were called again to a house on Tui Rd on Wednesday night,the day after a New Year's Eve party got out of control.
Residents on the street contacted the Rotorua Daily Post saying they were disgusted the residents had the "audacity" to hold yet another party, despite occupiers of the home telling media earlier on New Year's Day they had no idea their party had got out of hand the night before.
Police have confirmed they were called back to Tui Rd on Wednesday night to help noise control officers seize a stereo following several complaints.
On New Year's Eve police were called to Tui Rd throughout the night following complaints of disorder. Just after 4am resident Liu Falanai called police after her two brothers, aged in their 20s, were injured trying to protect someone who had been "jumped" by partygoers.
Falanai said one of her brothers was "knocked out" after a hit to the back of his head and the other had a bottle smashed over his face, resulting in stitches on his eyebrow.
A third unknown person was also injured. Falanai's two brothers were now recovering at home.
During the brawl three cars belonging to Falanai's family members were badly damaged - including having windows smashed, wing mirrors snapped off and panels around the cars kicked in.
The fourth car damaged belonged to a woman at a house immediately in front of the party house. She didn't want to comment to the Rotorua Daily Post.
Falanai said her family were shocked and scared and spent New Year's Day trying to clean up the damage.
She said she moved one of the cars, belonging to her mother, out of fear it would get damaged again.
The Rotorua Daily Post spoke to those at the party house on New Year's Day who said they were unaware of what happened and blamed the brawl on "randoms" who turned up.
One of the young women, who had earlier in the week put notes in her neighbours' letterboxes alerting them to the fact they were having a party, said she would apologise to her neighbours.
The house had a broken window and there were empty cans and bottles strewn across the back section as well as a torn down gazebo.
She said she and several other neighbours called noise control but she was told at 10pm they were waiting for police.
Falanai and another resident, who didn't want to be identified, said they were annoyed at police for not shutting down the party on New Year's Eve at the first sign of trouble.
She said she was disappointed police had not interviewed them about the serious assaults.
The Rotorua Daily Post asked police why the party wasn't shut down earlier and why no one had been interviewed.
In a statement, police said they got a number of calls regarding the property on New Year's Eve. The first was related to people arguing about 11.15pm. Police attended but there were no issues at that time.
About 1am police received calls to say a group of people had spilled out on to the street and people were again arguing.
The police spokesman said the occupant of the property where the party had taken place turned off the stereo and people were leaving.
"Units again attended and there were no significant issues. There was no physical disorder and no one had been injured."
Police were called again about 4.15am to reports of people physically fighting in the street on Tui Rd. Police again attended and shut down the party, the spokesman said.
"Because a large group of people was involved, the offenders who injured those sent to hospital were unable to be identified at the scene."
The spokesman said the second party started at the same house on Tui Rd on New Year's Day. Noise control requested police help to seize a stereo and this was done about 10.30pm.
"Police spoke with a number of people on the night of the event and inquiries into the incident are ongoing. No arrests have been made at this stage."