Boxing Day crash victim named: Family devastated to lose young father
Sunday, 27 December 2020
One of the two young men killed in a serious crash in west Auckland on Boxing Day has been named as 20-year-old Viliami Muru-Teutau.
Police said enquiries into the circumstances of the crash were ongoing, and the name of the second person killed would be released at a later date.
A spokeswoman for Muru-Teutau’s family said they “are devastated at the loss of a vibrant, happy and much loved son, and young father”.
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“We can’t believe he is gone. We are in a state of shock and our hearts are broken,” the statement said.
“Vili was a young man who had everything to live for. He is the father of a one-year-old daughter, and as one of five children, Vili’s death has crushed his parents and family. There are no words to describe the pain and grief we are feeling.
“He was a naturally gifted sportsman who loved his rugby. A former NZ Māori under-18 player, he played for a New South Wales country team last year, before coming home to play in the Waitematā Rugby Club’s premier team. He was a roofing apprentice who was working hard towards completing his trade training, and to providing for his young family.
“Our world has been turned upside down and inside out. This is supposed to be a holiday season of festive happiness, and instead we are weeping and we are grieving.”
Muru-Teutau is survived by his partner and daughter, his parents and brothers and sisters, and his wider whānau.
The crash was reported around 6am on Boxing Day, and happened on Triangle Rd, between Lincoln Rd and Waimumu Rd, in Henderson.
Initial indications from the scene were that a car struck a bridge, police said.
Two other people were also injured as a result of the crash.
It followed another crash on Christmas Day in south Auckland, where two people died when a car hit a power pole on Clevedon-Kawakawa Rd in Clevedon, at around 7.30pm.
The incident brought power lines down and a scene examination was conducted.
Inspector Jason Homan said it was the second serious crash involving one car in the Counties Manukau area on Christmas Day.
“In both crashes, high speed appears to have been a factor,” Homan said.
“We don't want to see any more lives lost this holiday period. We are pleading with people to slow down, wear your seatbelts, and don't drive if you've been drinking or are fatigued.”