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Unlicenced driver high on drugs claims five lives in Waikato crash – coroner
A woman who drove without a licence, while inhaling ‘nangs’ from a green balloon, caused a fatal crash that claimed her life and those of four others, a coroner has found.
Police described the crash near Te Awamutu in May last year as “horrendous” – three occupants of one car and a retired couple in another all died on impact. They were Paul and Lois Grimmer.
Coroner Matthew Bates has found Piata Otufangavalu, 19, was “significantly impaired” while driving, due her use of nitrous oxide, known as NOS or nangs.
He also found that was potentially exacerbated by her use of cannabis.
“Her level of impairment clearly caused her to drive the Toyota across the centrelines into oncoming traffic lanes, and the path of Mr and Mrs Grimmer’s Audi,” Bates said. “The result was five avoidable deaths.”
The coroner said it is widely publicised that no-one should drive after or while consuming drugs or alcohol, nor drive without a licence.
“In the present case, the impaired party responsible for the collision had never held a driver’s licence and therefore should not have been operating any motor vehicle on a road,” Bates said. “This is tragically and painfully demonstrated in the present case, through the loss of five lives.”
The two passengers in the car with Otufangavalu – partner Suliasi Lefai and friend Cheyene Love-Mitchell – were also seen inhaling nangs before the crash.
Police at the scene of what they say was a head-on collision. Photo: RNZ / Natalie Akoorie
After the fatal crash, police found green balloons, two large 640-gram canisters of nitrous oxide and a cannabis bong.
“All three had access to two large canisters of nitrous oxide,” the coroner found. “At least two standard doses of nitrous oxide would have been consumed by Ms Otufangavalu prior to the collision.
“When a person is impaired through substance use, others around them aware of that fact must do everything practicable to prevent them from operating a motor vehicle.
“To do otherwise demonstrates disregard for the safety of not only the impaired person, but also for others in their company and those whose paths they may cross.”
The coroner’s report included the New Zealand Drug Foundation effects of nitrous oxide – a moderate dose of one canister may make a person feel relaxed, euphoric and giggly.
It can also cause hallucinations, and make a person feel dizzy or unco-ordinated. Other effects may include confusion, blurry vision and light-headedness.
On the day of the crash, Otufangavalu had picked up partner Lefai, when he finished working at Fieldays, and they were driving back to Te Awamutu.
The Grimmers were on what was to become their last weekly drive – Paul Grimmer was behind the wheel, but had no time to react to the oncoming car.
“They would often drive south to Ōtorohanga for ice cream or to their family homestead in Pārāwera,” Bates said. “Their daughter considered Mr Grimmer to be an excellent driver, explaining that he had been a truck driver, who owned a trucking business for around 30 years.”
The coroner hopes his findings help to prevent similar deaths in the future.
“The tragic consequences of impaired driving have the potential to touch any of us,” Bates said. “My sincere hope is that continued publicity, education and enforcement intended to free our roads of impaired drivers gains greater traction.”
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The chief executive of the Parliamentary Service is confident there will be enough room to accommodate the increased number of MPs and their staff coming into Parliament.
On current numbers, up to 131 MPs could be sitting in the Chamber following the election, brought on by a record overhang result.
Clerk of the House of Representatives Dr David Wilson told the Spinoff that currently the debating chamber had enough chairs to seat 124 MPs – including the Speaker of the House – and work was being done to accommodate more by altering the seating arrangement.
In a statement, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said planning for a larger Parliament had been going for “some time”.
“Now that the election results have confirmed an increase to the number of members we are looking at several options.
“We are confident we will be able to accommodate all members within the Chamber.”
VNP / Phil Smith
Gonzalez-Montero said office accommodation for members and their staff would be “stretched” for a short time, but the new Members’ Building was only a few months away from “practical completion”.
That building – located behind Parliament – was due to be ready to occupy in April next year and had capacity to accommodate around 30 backbench MPs.
“All members should be in fit-for-purpose accommodation from that point,” Gonzalez-Montero said.
Following the 2023 election, 123 MPs sat in the Chamber – a record number at the time. That decreased to 122 following the resignation of National MP Judith Collins.
Collins held the seat of Papakura and stepped down in May and Parliament voted against holding a by-election because it was too close to the election.
The election result also meant high-ranking National Party MPs like Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee – Speaker of the House and an MP for 30 years – would likely not make it back into Parliament.
Only resigning or retiring MPs were permitted to give a valedictory speech meaning none of them would get the chance to give a valedictory statement.
Asked if their would be special allowances for valedictories, Wilson said in a statement that normally only MPs were allowed to speak in the House but the House could suspend its own rules or temporarily alter them.
“It could do so to allow former members to address the House.”
Wilson said no such arrangements could be made until the next Parliament opened and members sworn in.
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