Cellphone use and speed potential factors in fatal crash near Lake Tekapo

Sunday, 25 October 2020

Traffic backed up on SH8 following the fatal crash near Lake Tekapo on Saturday.

Cellphone use and speed could have contributed to a fatal crash near Lake Tekapo.

Che Tekapa Hogg, 42, of Auckland, died after the car he was driving collided with another car on Saturday morning.

Stuff understands Hogg had been seen driving erratically prior to the crash.

It’s understood he crossed the centre-line and collided with a car driven by a father whose two young children were in the back.

* Tekapo coldest spot in New Zealand at -6.6C on Sunday

* Front brings high temperatures in Labour Weekend warm spell

Police are understood to be looking at cellphone use and speed as factors in their investigation.

Emergency services were called to State Highway 8, near Lake Tekapo Airport, just after 9am.

Three other people airlifted to hospital following the crash were still in hospital with serious injuries at 4pm on Sunday.

Senior Constable Brad Morton, of Lake Tekapo, declined to comment on the circumstances of the crash but said the fact the two children were safely secured in their car seats saved their lives.

The crash was one of four fatal crashes over Labour Weekend.

National road policing manager Acting Superintendent Gini Welch appealed for motorists to behave safely on roads after a “devastating start” to the weekend, with several other serious crashes.

“While it is too early to talk about the cause of these crashes, we will continue to relentlessly remind people we all have a part to play to keep our roads safe.

“With high volumes of traffic on our roads this long weekend, we implore you to keep your speeds down, pay attention to your surroundings and the conditions, and watch your following distances to ensure you arrive alive.”