One killed, several injured in crash west of Hamilton
Photo:
RNZ / Tim Brown
One person has died following a crash west of Hamilton.
Police said the single-vehicle accident happened at 9.10am on State Highway 23 in Whatawhata, near the intersection with Ferguson Rd.
Two other people have serious injuries, and one person has a minor injury.
The Serious Crash Unit are investigating.
Te Pahu Rd and Ferguson Rd were closed for a period of time while emergency services were at the scene but have now opened.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter
curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Minnie Deans, 130 years later
130 years ago today, Minnie Dean became the first (and only) woman to be executed for murder in New Zealand. Found guilty by the Supreme Court in Invercargill in 1895 for the murder of one-year-old Dorothy Carter, Dean was hanged just two months later. But what does New Zealand think now? Was Minnie Dean really guilty? Did she deserve the fate she got? Emile Donovan consults the experts: he is joined by Grant Morris, a legal historian at Victoria University of Wellington, to explore these questions and more. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Gordon Hieatt strangled his girlfriend and lived with her body for a month, now he's getting parole
Gordon Hieatt. Photo: Open Justice/NZME/Natalie Slade Warning: This story contains distressing content which some people may find upsetting. A man who strangled his girlfriend to death and lived in the same flat as her decaying corpse for nearly a month is to be released from jail. Gordon Hieatt murdered his girlfriend, Nuttidar Vaikaew, at her flat in the Auckland suburb of Western Springs in 2009. He lived with her corpse for close to a month before police found her in a bed at the back of the flat. A fan had been pointed at her body in an attempt to disguise the smell. Hieatt appeared before the New Zealand Parole Board for the first time in 2020 after becoming eligible for early release. Today he was told he will be released on October 7. The former computer programmer had been hoping to get back up to speed with advances in the industry before starting to apply for jobs, but concerns were raised about his well-being with suggestions he stick to menial tasks following his release. He had earlier made it clear to the board he hoped to become a computer programmer again, despite saying his obsession with his work was the "root" of his offending. During today's hearing, he said he had been involved in a software project which he thought would turn into a business. "I do get focused, it can be problematic if I am working on my own." He also said he had concerns about stressors, finances and "not being successful". Family members said they had reconnected with Hieatt during his incarceration, one had concerns about the impact of the internet on his mental health, suggesting it would be beneficial for Hieatt to be involved in menial tasks, not in information technology (IT) upon his release. "We want to temper expectations of earning responsibilities." Panel convenor Annabel Markham told Hieatt she struggled to see the connection with what he did to Vaikaew. She asked Hieatt what had led him to that "extreme level of violence". He paused for a bit before saying he felt he was under attack at the time. "The pressure just built up." Markham said she still thought there was rage, anger, jealousy and resentment. Hieatt told the board he had done work to address his emotions and how to deal with them. According to Justice John Priestley's sentencing notes from 2011, Hieatt and Vaikaew, who was a sex worker, had got into an argument about how much rent he was to pay and him having to leave the flat when she had clients around. Hieatt, who had been in an on-again, off-again relationship with Vaikaew for several years, admitted during the trial he had strangled her, but said he didn't intend to kill her. She attempted to escape at one point during the argument, which had become physical, only for Hieatt to seize her and pin her down on her bed, where he attempted to gag her with masking tape. Hieatt told one report writer he believed Vaikaew had goaded him into killing her, and thought she made the plan when he wouldn't pay her rental bills. The judge ordered him to serve a minimum of 11 years before he could be eligible for parole. Today he said, that while having the skills to deal with his emotions, it was in that instance that it had got to the point where he "painted himself into a corner". Hieatt had told the court that after her death he washed her body with a cloth, wiping blood from her mouth, nose and eyes before spending the night in bed with her body. It was Vaikaew's landlord, Ray Goffin, who called the police after realising something was wrong when he came around to collect the rent, reporting piles of flies in the flat. Today the board told Hieatt there appeared to be a pattern of behaviour with prostitutes prior to the murder. Hieatt said two of his six girlfriends had been prostitutes. When asked if he had a problem with Vaikaew's work, he said no, but that "it was just her character". "I should have known better. I'm not supposed to speak ill of the dead, but that's how she was." Markham reminded Hieatt he had committed the "ultimate abuse". "I allowed it to go on rather than dealing with it in a constructive way," he said of the relationship with Vaikaew. The board heard Hieatt had undertaken a release-to-work programme which was proceeding well. He was living in shared accommodation and the release-to-work programme would continue after his release. He was asked what he would do once a spell of supported accommodation came to an end following his release. Hieatt said he would probably opt to share accommodation with others to keep costs down. Probation said there would be a liaison to assist Hieatt with accommodation options and support with other government agencies. Corrections reported he had been compliant and had a good work ethic. Hieatt will appear for a monitoring hearing in February 2026. * This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald .
RNZ News
6 hours ago
- RNZ News
New metal on roads near Dargaville tearing up tyres, say locals
Motorists believe the wrong grade and size was used for resurfacing of the road south of Dargaville Photo: Supplied / Rachael Gedye Kaipara motorists are demanding compensation after their car tyres were ripped up by razor sharp road metal, which they said was wrongly laid, and left them with big bills. Since fresh metal was laid on Arapaoa, Hamlin and Neems Road, south of Dargaville last month a number of residents have had punctures. Some have suffered multiple flat tyres and wheel damage, and as rural residents, they rely heavily on their vehicles. Motorists believe the wrong grade and size was used for resurfacing and that has caused the problems. Local resident Rachael Gedye told Checkpoint her car had extensive damage from the road, first getting a flat tyre on the day the new seal went down. "I've had two damaged tyres as a result and two punctures." The road surface - which she described as sharp, bulky and thick - has also caused issues for her neighbours. "My immediate neighbour, she's had four tyre replacements, another neighbours had three punctures and I just found out another neighbour, who is a daily commuter as well for work, has had six punctures." Gedye said the damage had been incredibly expensive for both her and her neighbours. "They've gone to a lot of expense, inconvenience that they can't afford, we've got superannuants on our road. "My elderly neighbour who's a superannuant, she's had to replace a couple of tyres as well as several punctures, and is just frustrated, absolutely frustrated." So far Gedye has spent $430 on two lots of tyre and puncture repairs. She said herself and others in the area commute daily, meaning damage to their cars was less than ideal. Gedye sent a letter to the council complaining about the state of the road on 24 July, and did not receive a response until 12 August. She said the response was an acknowledgement of her letter, offering not solutions or compensation for her and her neighbours. "[It's] terrible, it's shocking. I've had to follow and chase them up. My initial was a phone call, then I followed up with the letter, a formal letter, and then I've only received that reply acknowledgement." Gedye said she had heard nothing else from the council and she was still left with a long list of concerns. "Where was the material originated from? What steps will be taken to ensure this incident doesn't happen in the future? Is the council prepared to reimburse affected residents? There's quite a few of us for the cost of punctures and tyre replacements. "Does the increase in our rates justify the poor quality of the roading?" Gedye said on Arapaoa Road some of the sharp rocks and metal has been washed away, due to the heavy usage - but on Hamlin Road, which only has two users, the surface remains hazardous for driving. The Kaipara District Council told Checkpoint it was clear the metal used on these roads did not meet expectations, and they have since had the roads rolled and graded to compact the material. It said its roading maintenance contractor was investigating the aggregate that was put down and will report back to council. Meanwhile, there is a formal claims process underway for affected residents which involves the council and contractor assessing claims on a case-by-case basis, and in accordance with their liability processes. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
