Truck driver who died on Boxing Day remembered as an 'absolute gentleman and loving family man'
Wednesday, 29 December 2021
Johnny Rolton was headed for Christchurch, winding his way through Canterbury’s Lewis Pass in the early hours of Boxing Day, when his headlights caught debris strewn across the road.
Thinking he was heading straight into a rockfall, the 33-year-old immediately slammed on his brakes.
But on closer inspection, he discovered it was vegetables, fruit and smashed up crates. He could see skid marks heading over a nearby bank, where a truck had plummeted about 10 metres.
Rangiora man John Osborne, 62, was killed in the crash, a police spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
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Shortly after, another truck came across the crash and Rolton and the driver navigated their way down the bank, which was littered with debris and churned up soil and trees.
“[It] was a difficult climb and [I was] unsure if the bank would give way down to the river with the added weight, so [we took] a risk,” he said.
The pair managed to get to the cab, which had been crushed from the impact, and found Osborne inside, but he was “non-responsive”.
“We were able to feel his hand but [there was] no sign of life.”
Rolton then made his way back up the freshly churned hill and jumped into his car, determined to find cell service to alert authorities.
As he desperately drove to find coverage, one of his tyres blew out with a puncture. He continued driving despite the faulty wheel, intent on calling in help.
“I decided to drive as [far] as I could to get to service,” he said.
It wasn’t long before emergency services arrived, much to Rolton’s relief.
“Watching the fire [crews] and ambulance rush past left me with a great feeling of being able to get the help to where it was needed most. I was [then] able to finally get my car mobile again and carry on my way home.”
Police were investigating the circumstances of the crash, a police spokeswoman said.
A Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman earlier told Stuff the crash happened about 3.30am, between the Boyle river and the Nina River track.
Stuff understands Osborne, known as Johnny O, worked for food transport and logistics company Brenics Ltd.
A company spokesman declined to comment.
A trucking companion, who asked not to be named, said Osborne was “an absolute gentleman and a loving family man who spent his life either working or with his family”.
Jason, another colleague who had been loading Osborne's truck for the past six months, said he last saw him while working on Christmas Eve.
Osborne was never short of banter around the yard, he said.
“He was a great guy, just came in, done his job [and] we had a bit of banter as truck drivers do.”
Several tributes to Osborne had been posted on social media since his passing and a photo of him had been circulating throughout the trucking community.
One post said it was an “extremely sad day for the trucking industry as we deal with the loss of Johnny O from Brenics who sadly lost his life this morning just doing his job.
“Honestly one of the most genuine and nicest guys in the industry. Rest In Peace Johnny O. Thoughts go out to his family and his Brenics family too (sic).”
Another said he was a “top bloke”, who was “always smiling at 5am coming back [to] Brenics”.
“Turn up those Jakes (brakes) loud and proud my friend – R.I.P (sic).”
The official holiday road toll period started at 4pm on December 24.
Since then there had been six deaths on New Zealand roads, including the Lewis Pass crash.
One person in a two-car crash near Taupō on Christmas Eve, a motorcyclist in Hamilton on Christmas morning, a driver who crashed into a truck near Dunedin also on Christmas morning, a pedestrian in Auckland on Christmas evening, and a woman who died in a motorcycle crash in Albany, Auckland on Tuesday.