Hastings crash leaves one dead, another seriously injured
Photo:
ST JOHN NZ
A person has died and another seriously injured following a two-car crash in Hastings.
Emergency services were called to Southampton Street West, near the King Street South intersection about 12.20am.
One of the drivers died at the scene, while the driver of the other car was taken to hospital.
There was no one else in either car.
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
25 minutes ago
- RNZ News
Zayne Gordon jailed for attempting to set Kaikohe police station on fire to impress a woman
By Shannon Pitman, Open Justice reporter of Zayne Gordon attempted to set the Kaikohe Police station on fire with a Molotov cocktail. Photo: Open Justice / NZME A man who tried to set fire to a police station in a bid to impress a woman has been jailed for two years and three months. But during his sentencing, the judge offered some blunt advice on his approach to romance. "Any woman who's impressed by you burning a police station isn't worth impressing," Judge Gene Tomlinson told the Kaikohe man. Zayne Gordon, 31, appeared in the Whangārei District Court for sentencing today on one charge each of attempted arson, strangulation and driving while disqualified. He was first charged with driving while disqualified in 2022 and put on bail. While on bail, he turned up unannounced at his ex-partner's house on 8 December 2023, and she told him to leave. He became angry, followed her up the hallway and put his hands around her neck, lifting her off the ground. The victim's legs were kicking and she was struggling to breathe before he dropped her to the ground. He was placed on bail again but missed two judge-alone trials for his driving charge and while on the run, strung out on meth, he chose to offend again. Around 3.15am on 12 December 2024, CCTV caught Gordon running up the ramp of the front entrance to the Kaikohe police station. He placed a Just Juice bottle that had tissue paper coming out of the top, essentially a Molotov cocktail, at the front door. After setting the tissue alight, Gordon exited the view of the security camera. When the tissue went out, Gordon returned and lit the bottle again. This time it caught fire and exploded across the doorway, causing black char and cosmetic damage to the front of the station. Throughout the incident, Gordon was recording on a phone and talking to someone off-camera. When arrested, he explained it was not a direct attack on police but that he was trying to impress a girl. His court file listed nearly 30 hearings, including two judge-alone trials where witnesses were called but he failed to appear, along with repeated bail breaches and multiple arrest warrants. Crown lawyer Danica Soich revealed Gordon's meth use started when he was 15, after being introduced to the drug by his mother. Soich said his meth use contributed to his continual poor decisions. "Not only did this potentially risk the safety of the police officers but it would have prevented police from responding to anything else in the community," Soich said. Gordon's lawyer Martin Hislop argued for a sentence of rehabilitation at the Grace Foundation, but Soich submitted his addiction was too severe. Judge Tomlinson said Gordon's actions were foolish and childish. "It's the sort of stuff you expect from a couple of teenagers who would put double happy fireworks into a mailbox, it's just idiotic." He said a police station should not be targeted. "The scale of this is childish, and indeed, an unsophisticated attempt of arson. Essentially, you get the benefit of how hopeless you were at doing at." The judge acknowledged the risk to life was momentary and jailed Gordon for two years and three months on all charges. * This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald .

RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Adam Busby jailed for sexual connection with a 12yo whom he impregnated
By Tara Shaskey, Open Justice reporter of Adam Busby, 32, has been jailed for impregnating a 12-year-old girl. Photo: Supplied/Open Justice A 32-year-old man invited a 12-year-old girl to his house and soon after she arrived, the pair went into his bedroom and had unprotected sex, resulting in her becoming pregnant. Today, the girl, now 13, was in New Plymouth District Court, visibly pregnant, as the unborn baby's father, Adam Busby, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment for having a sexual connection with a young person. Referring to the summary of facts, Judge Tony Greig said Busby knew the girl and approached her in the street on January 11 this year. They spoke and he asked if she would like to go to his house, in Stratford, Taranaki, later that day, to which she agreed. That night, she snuck out of her home and Busby met her outside his house and then took her into his bedroom. "You talked to each other. She told you that she was 12 and you told her that you were 32. She asked you if you had any birth control protection and you said 'no'. You then both had sex," the judge said. "She stayed a couple of hours before going back to her house." The following month, the girl went to the doctor and discovered she was pregnant. While victim impact statements were not read in court, Judge Greig said the girl reported that when in Busby's bedroom, one of the first things they spoke of was her age. "He said, 'okay'. After we talked, he asked if he could kiss me. I said, 'yes'. After we kissed, Adam asked if I'd had sex before. I said, 'no'," the judge said, reading her statement. "He asked me if I wanted to have sex. I was scared but I wanted him to like me and know what it was like. "We had sex and after he asked if I was okay. I said, 'yes', then we talked more. Then he said, 'thank you' and took me home." The girl told the court she wanted to parent her child and a social worker had been assigned to them. She had to change schools as a result of her pregnancy, her family relationships have been seriously impacted and she has had to move in with other family members. New Plymouth District Court. Photo: NZME However, the girl was no longer in school and was now doing her schoolwork online. She told the court she never wanted to see Busby again. The judge said a report from a social worker advised that the girl was particularly vulnerable because of her upbringing and the trauma she had faced. It said some family members were against the baby being raised by strangers and were committed to supporting the girl and her child. "She has a strong desire to parent her baby, claiming it's not her baby's fault. This is also reflective of a child who has been removed from her own parents' care," the judge said. "Her life has been drastically altered by becoming a mother at 13. "The stigma that the world places on teen mothers, the names this child has been called from members of the community and her family, and the subsequent breakdown of relationships because of what has happened has a far-reaching impact which may continue for the rest of her and her baby's life." Judge Greig said the harm Busby had caused could be intergenerational. "This young woman, whom you impregnated, had been removed from her parents because of the dysfunctional childhood that they caused her to have; now she is going to try and parent another child." In sentencing Busby, the judge said he had dealt with him on previous occasions. He described Busby, who has other children, as "a wild boy" and "a tearaway". His criminal history included driving, violence and dishonesty-related convictions but "nothing of this seriousness". The judge said Busby had "really let himself down". "One thing I've always respected about you is your dedication as a parent... so that's why I say you've really let yourself down here." Judge Greig said that Busby had told a pre-sentence report writer there were "a couple of discrepancies" in his and the girl's account of what had occurred. He claimed he was unaware of her age until they discussed it after they had sex, and she had snuck out of her house because she was fearful of something that was occurring in her home. Busby told the report writer he felt "a bit set up". He said he'd had at least 12 cans of bourbon premixes on the evening he met with the girl, he had no intent to have sex with her and he thought she was "around 16″. "I wasn't aroused or anything until she kept grinding on me. When I found out her age, I was devastated. I told her that my life was over. I did not know she was pregnant until I was arrested. I was surprised when I was informed she was intending on keeping the baby," Judge Greig said, reading Busby's comments. The Crown said such comments made by Busby lent themselves to victim-blaming and the judge pointed out it was not what the summary of facts, which he pleaded guilty to, stated. Judge Greig set a starting point of four years' imprisonment, according to case law, but said it "was not enough". "You should be sentenced to about twice that for the harm you have caused and will cause, as I have said, for years to come, but I am bound by the law." He allowed a 25 percent credit for Busby's guilty plea but refused to give him any further discounts, including for Busby's claimed remorse. Busby was automatically placed on the Sex Offender Register. * This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald .

RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Two pedestrians hit by car in Christchurch
Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER Two pedestrians have been injured after being hit by a car in central Christchurch. Emergency services were called to Lichfield Street at about 2.25pm Thursday. The police said two people have sustained serious to moderate injuries. Officers are speaking to one person in relation to the crash.