Police name baby killed in Kawerau crash

Whakatäne Police have released the name of the six month old baby killed in a three car crash on State Highway 34 near Kawerau on Saturday night.

She was Kalaisha Matangireia Princess HALE of Kawerau. She died on Sunday in Starship Hospital.

Twenty-three year old Frazer Douglas NATHAN was also killed in the crash. He died at the scene.

Constable Michael Chelley, a crash investigator with the Strategic Traffic Unit, says three cars were involved in the crash, which happened on State Highway 34 north of Kawerau at approximately 7:30pm on Saturday night <<sub: 3 April>>. He says speed and alcohol were factors.

"A Holden Commodore with three occupants was travelling north at a high speed, colliding with the rear of another northbound car, which also contained three occupants.

"The other northbound car was shunted off the road and rolled. The Holden became airborne, travelling onto the wrong side of the road. It narrowly missed a southbound car; however this vehicle was hit by debris and sustained minor damage.

The Holden has continued off the road, colliding with a concrete power pole which has shattered as a result of the impact. The car continued for another 35 metres, before coming to rest on its roof and bursting into flames.

"At this stage we believe the Holden was attempting to overtake the other northbound car, at some considerable speed."

Occupants from both cars sustained serious injuries and were pulled from the vehicles by members of the public.

Constable Chelley says Frazer Nathan was a passenger in the Holden Commodore. He died at the scene.

He says Kalaisha Hale was travelling in the other northbound car and was correctly restrained in a baby seat.

"There are no words to describe the impact that this crash has had on everyone involved – the victims of the crash and their friends and families, the emergency services who attended the incident, and the members of the public who stopped to help.

"There are five key factors that are the largest contributors to road trauma on our roads, and two of those appear to be present in this case – speed and alcohol.

"We've all seen the ads, speeding and drink driving both kill. Police certainly have a role to play in keeping people safe, but we need this community to work with us to make that happen."

Constable Chelley says Police would like to thank all those who helped at the scene of the crash, and asks anyone with further information about the crash to contact Whakatäne Police on (07) 308 5255.