Two fatal crashes in 24 hours

A Sergeant says the deaths of two people in separate incidents on Southland roads on Wednesday is ‘‘completely devastating’’ and a first in his 23-year career.

Southern District road policing manager Greg Ballantyne said the two fatalities was a tragedy not only for the communities and families, but for the police officers involved.

‘‘I don’t ever recall, in my time, two fatal crashes in the Southland area in 24 hours,’’ he said.

He could not comment on the nature of the two crashes as the police investigation was currently ongoing, but encouraged people to slow down and stay off mobile phones whilst driving.

A man killed in a truck crash early Wednesday morning on Bluff Hiighway was a young father from Mataura.

Gary Botherway, a driver for Hokonui Rural Transport, was driving a truck and trailer that was loaded with fertiliser from South Port, in Bluff, heading north towards Awarua when the vehicle tipped over after 3am.

Hokonui Rural Transport is part of the HW Richardson Group.

HW Richardson chief executive Scott O’Donnell said Botherway had been a ‘‘great guy and a terrific worker’’ and was survived by a partner and several children.

Hokonui Rural Transport manager Adam Waghorn had visited the family, who would be offered counselling alongside Hokonui Rural Transport staff where appropriate, O’Donnell said. Those who had worked alongside Botherway were finding the situation ‘‘very, very tough’’.

‘‘It’s a terrible situation,’’ he said. ‘‘When you lose people from your business it’s a terrible outcome, it’s the last thing we want for anybody. It’s draining for all parties.’’ A second fatal crash occurred in Riverton later on Wednesday night. Police were alerted to the incident on Brook St just after 8pm, where a car crashed into a power pole. A police spokesperson confirmed a person died at the scene of the crash. Flowers had been left at the scene of the Riverton crash.

A third serious crash happened yesterday morning and one person was flown to Dunedin Hospital with critical injuries after a crash involving a ute and a motorcycle in rural Southland.

A St John Ambulance spokesperson said it received a call at 9.06am to an incident on Avondale Rd, Castle Downs.

One ambulance and one helicopter responded, and one patient was treated and airlifted to Dunedin Hospital in a critical condition.