The three people who died in a car crash near Waiuku yesterday were a mother, her daughter and her niece.<\/p>\n
RNZ can now name the victims as Frances Latu-Vailea, her daughter Oneahi Vailea and niece Marly Tulua.<\/p>\n
They died when their car left Masters Road and crashed into a culvert in wetland on Tuesday afternoon,<\/p>\n
Latu-Vailea worked as a court registry officer, and the head of the Ministry of Justice said staff were devastated at the sudden death of their colleague.<\/p>\n
Chief executive Andrew Kibblewhite said Latu-Vailea was a court registry officer for the Family Court, primarily based at Pukekohe District Court.<\/p>\n
He said she worked in many locations including North Shore, Manukau and Papakura, and the tragedy would have a huge impact on many people.<\/p>\n
Kibblewhile said he and his staff offered their deepest condolences to Latu-Vailea’s immediate and extended family.<\/p>\n
“We are all thinking of Frances’ family, and our wider Auckland kaimahi, and offering our support during this very difficult time.”<\/p>\n
The deaths have also sent shockwaves through the tight-knit Waiuku community.<\/p>\n
“It’s pretty devastating actually. It’s a small town, most people know someone who knows them if they don’t know them themselves,” local Jennie Tapp said.<\/p>\n
“The fact that it was a woman and two children, it just blows your mind.”<\/p>\n
Another resident Inga Anja Noom said Masters Road had a bad reputation.<\/p>\n
“We all feel sick because usually in a small town like this everyone knows somebody and it’s a horrible stretch of road and it’s not the first and it probably won’t be the last. But yeah, no, it’s heartbreaking.”<\/p>\n
The scene of the crash, on a road described by locals as “horrible”.\u00a0<\/span>Photo:\u00a0RNZ\/Calvin Samuel<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Locals say the narrow, bumpy road will continue causing accidents until speed limits are enforced.<\/p>\n Masters Road falls on the border between Auckland and Waikato and was a concern for both regions’ councillors.<\/p>\n Waikato district councillor Peter Thomson said it was often used as a shortcut around the more tightly managed main road between Waiuku and Pukekohe.<\/p>\n “I’ve heard that it’s been used as a bypass to the Waiuku-Pukekohe road, so people can feel that they can travel faster on this road rather than the Pukekohe-Waiuku road, which has got a number of speed cameras on it and is only 80 [kilometres per hour],” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n
\n\nWaiuku locals call for speed limit enforcements after crash kills three<\/h3>\n
Checkpoint<\/span>16 July 2025<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/div>\n