Latest news with #Flaxmere
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
Person in a serious condition after possible stabbing, police say
(File photo) Photo: 123RF One person is in hospital after reports of a stabbing in Hastings. Emergency services were called to 'disorder' at a property on Folkestone Drive in the suburb of Flaxmere, about 9am on Friday. One person with possible stab wounds was taken to hospital in a serious condition, while another at the scene was taken into custody. Police said initial enquiries indicate they are known to each other and there is no risk to the public. A police spokesperson said there would be an increased police presence in the area during the investigation. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
30-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Terina Pineaha admits manslaughter of cyclist Emma-Jane Kupa, 11, in Flaxmere
By Catherine Hutton, Open Justice reporter of Flowers and memorial items left near the place Emma-Jane Sylvia Kupa was fatally injured when she was hit by a car, in Flaxmere, on 30 January, 2025. Photo: Supplied/ NZME - Rafaella Melo A drunk woman who was also high on methamphetamine was driving to the home of the woman she was convinced was sleeping with her partner when she fatally ploughed into a young girl who was biking with her sister to the dairy. On Friday, 34-year-old Terina Pineaha appeared by audio-visual link in the High Court at Wellington, where she admitted to a raft of charges, including Emma-Jane Sylvia Kupa's manslaughter. The court heard that just before the crash, Pineaha's car reached estimated speeds of up to 105km/h in a 50km/h zone. Shortly after the car's speed was recorded, she struck the 11-year-old on the Chatham Road crossing in Flaxmere, on January 30. Emma-Jane was cycling behind her 15-year-old sister, who was on a scooter, on their way to the dairy in Scott Drive. The impact threw Emma-Jane into the air, before she landed 25 metres away on a grass verge, beside Ron Giorgi Park. Pineaha's borrowed Holden Vectra slid on the wet road over the footpath and grass verge, striking 10 wooden posts on a chain fence before coming to a stop. A pedestrian approaching the crossing just before the crash felt the wind from Pineaha's car as it passed him. Members of the public rushed to Emma-Jane's aid, performing CPR until emergency services arrived. But she could not be revived and died at the scene from head injuries. At the time, Pineaha told police she'd turned down Chatham Road with rage and was screaming to herself and accelerating. "By the time I saw the bike, I was going too fast and didn't have time to brake," she said. She told police she was "in rage" because of her partner's perceived infidelity with a woman, whose name was suppressed by the court, and "was thinking of going to smash her". At the court hearing, Pineaha put her head in her hands as the summary of facts was read out. According to that document, on the morning of the crash, she bought $50 of methamphetamine and alcohol with a friend, before returning to a Hastings house, where they'd started drinking about 10.30am. During the drinking session, Pineaha drank several cans of Cody's bourbon premix and Cruisers vodka premix, mixed with straight vodka. She also took at least five or six puffs of methamphetamine from a glass pipe. After taking the methamphetamine, Pineaha was described as being emotionally "up and down" and "all over the place", crying one minute and then happy the next. About 2pm, Pineaha borrowed the silver Vectra and left the house. It's not known where she went, but the summary stated that she was drunk when she left the house and was over the legal limit when police breath-tested her after the fatal crash. At 5.38pm, she arrived at the house in Flaxmere Avenue, which belonged to her partner, with whom she had an on-and-off relationship. There was a vehicle parked on the front lawn, which belonged to the woman Pineaha believed her partner was being unfaithful with. Pineaha deliberately drove into the rear of the car and parked behind it. Her partner and sister came outside, and a heated argument followed. The woman she thought was sleeping with her partner also came outside. The two women fought, first on the driveway and then on the road, before being separated, and the woman went back inside. Pineaha got back into her car and drove into the woman's vehicle twice, while continuing to abuse her partner. The 11 minutes she spent at the house were captured on CCTV and showed Pineaha being aggressive and highly agitated. When she left Flaxmere Avenue, she told police she was driving to the woman's house. On her way, she drove into the back of a white Nissan van as it waited to enter the Chatham Road roundabout. The van's driver pulled over, expecting Pineaha to stop. Instead, she kept going, narrowly missing another vehicle and driving around the traffic island into the wrong lane to head south down Chatham Road. She again took off at speed. From the roundabout, she travelled about 865m south along Chatham Road, a suburban street lined with houses. Moments later, on this street, she fatally struck Emma-Jane. Pineaha was breath-tested by police at 6.37pm and blew 595mcg of alcohol per litre of breath, above the legal limit of 400mcg. In court, she admitted charges of manslaughter, consuming methamphetamine, wilful damage, driving with excess breath alcohol, dangerous driving and failing to stop. The court heard that at the time of the incident, Pineaha was serving a one-year sentence of supervision for possessing methamphetamine and other charges. She was also convicted of possessing methamphetamine in 2018. Justice Dale La Hood remanded Pineaha to remain in custody until her sentencing in the High Court at Napier in July. * This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald . Photo: Open Justice
RNZ News
22-05-2025
- RNZ News
Hawke's Bay police fear more injuries from dirt bikes used illegally on footpaths
(File) Hawke's Bay police fear an increase in people riding dirt bikes illegally on roads and footpaths will result in more injuries. Photo: Supplied / NZ police Hawke's Bay police fear an increase in kids riding dirt bikes illegally on roads and footpaths will result in more people being seriously injured. Last week an eight-year-old child suffered a broken bone in his leg after being hit by a bike in Flaxmere, and a woman was struck by a bike outside a cafe in Hastings resulting moderate injuries. The two young dirt bike riders who hit the woman received critical and serious injuries. Senior Sergeant Ross Smith told RNZ he's worried there will be more accidents. "If we don't start taking some sort of positive action this behaviour will only increase and no doubt there will be other people injured and hurt as a result of that," he said. Smith said the behaviour was "dangerous, and frankly stupid", and the riders were of all ages. "Some of the riders are as young as 10 or 12-years-old, right through to young adults and adults. They are riding the bikes at speed and are not wearing crash helmets or any safety gear. "They are putting themselves at risk as well as a whole [lot] of people in our community," he said. The riders were using dirt bikes illegally on roads, footpaths and parks, mainly in the Flaxmere and Camberley areas. Police said the motorbikes were often unregistered, not warranted and some were in poor condition and not road worthy. "These riders have little regard for other road users, pedestrians or families using the parks. And the public are paying the price," said Smith. Hawke's Bay police are urging the public to report any unlawful dirt bike riding, to try and prevent further injuries. "When police are involved the riders then ride in a manner that's even more dangerous to the public and themselves so it makes it very difficult for us to contain this type of behaviour," he said. Senior Sergeant Smith told RNZ police will take enforcement action when necessary, but need the public to help track down the riders. "The police can't solve this without the community's help. We need to know where these bikes are going to, the addresses, or where they are coming from. "Any videos, photos or dash cam foootage of these people and dirt bikes can be sent to police anonymously," said Smith. People who witness any of this kind of behaviour can report it to police on 111 if it is happening now, or through if it is after the fact. Smith said police are unsure why they are seeing an increase in dangerous and illegal dirt bike riding in Hawke's Bay roads, but believe it is a trend amongst younger people that they are copying from other regions and cities. "We are also urging parents of children who use dirt bikes to make sure they do so in a safe way, otherwise more people will get hurt," he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
11-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
David Seymour backs watercress seller facing $600 council fee
Minister for Regulation and Act leader David Seymour is backing a Hastings watercress seller who he says shouldn't be shut down for selling the vegetable. Photo: Hawke's Bay Today Act leader David Seymour is backing a Hawke's Bay watercress street seller told to stop until he paid more than $600 in registration fees after a Hastings District Council officer "observed the activity". Seymour, who is the Minister for Regulation, has written to the Minister for Food Andrew Hoggard, saying the Hastings man has been the subject of "a bureaucratic exercise that risks shutting down a valued community tradition". It follows the Local Democracy Reporting story of Jake* - who declined to reveal his real name out of fear of even more of a crackdown against him - who has been picking and selling watercress in his community for 30 years. Jake said he was now only supplying watercress in Flaxmere "on occasion" and it was now for donation or koha. A council spokesperson said if the man was using a koha box he still needed to register because that was considered taking donations to sell the produce. Seymour said his concern was the current regulations leaned toward a bureaucratic exercise that risked shutting down a valued community tradition and placing barriers in front of makers and innovators. "This case exemplifies how the Act's compliance requirements appear to disproportionately burden small-scale produce sellers, stifling microbusinesses," Seymour said. In an email to Jake, the council said under the Food Act he had to cease trading until he was registered as a National Programme 1 business with the Hastings District Council. The estimated cost was $619 with ongoing annual costs. Seymour said he proposed "we, and our agencies, look for targeted deregulatory measures to ensure this case and similar sellers can continue operating without undue financial strain if the risks remain low". Jake said he was rapt to have Seymour's support. "I never thought he would support someone like me. Maybe there is a silver lining to all of this. "I want to do this right. I have a dream of maybe opening a shop, creating jobs for whānau." He said he loves what he does. "It's hard work but at the same time being out in mother nature is therapeutic." Jake said he had a lot of support from the community after he shared his story, including an offer from a local businessman to pay the fees and offer him some business advice. He was still working through the process. * Jake is not his real name LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
