Fatal road accident

Tonga Police said they received updates from the hospital that the woman died last Friday morning, five days after the accident on Pea Road.

The young mother was travelling in a vehicle with her husband and three children aged 3 years, 5 and 10-years.

Police said they were heading in a northern direction on the Taufa’āhau Road when the deceased woman’s husband lost control of the wheel, which caused the car to swerve and hit another vehicle that was parked on the side of the road.

The car then crashed into the fence of Free Wesleyan Church.

The toddler was a passenger in the vehicle which crashed into a tree at Navutoka on Saturday evening.

According to Police, the 66-year-old driver was allegedly intoxicated while driving a vehicle that had three other passengers including the toddler.

Police said the driver allegedly lost control of the vehicle and it went onto the opposite side of the road and hit a tree.

“The victims were rushed to the hospital and at around 10 pm, Vaiola Hospital confirmed the passing of the 2-year-old girl,” Police said.

Gage Kauffman was driving northbound on Dobson Road on December 20 at a high rate of speed, reported the ABC15.

Vaka To’oa Snr was driving another vehicle that was entering Dobson Road at Shawnee Drive. Kauffman’s vehicle crashed into Vaka’s vehicle.

His grandson Vaka ‘Isitolo To’oa Jnr, a four-year-old boy, was also killed from injuries suffered in the crash reports Kaniva News.

The ABC15 report quoted a court document which said that Kauffman was driving over 100 miles per hour in a 45-mile-per-hour zone moments before the deadly crash

The victim is a 26-year-old man of Vainī.

Police said two cars, each driven by male drivers, with no passengers, were racing at high-speed heading in an eastward direction on Taufa‘ahau Road at Veitongo.

The accident occurred when one car tried to takeover while the other blocked the overtaking car.

The driver of the overtaking car, who sustained various injuries to his upper body, was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Fangufangu Mana Jr Lātū and Sōsefo Kalangalupe Lōloa were passengers in a car that collided with a van on Tafa’ahau main road on Saturday night.

Latu and Loloa were returning from a barbecue party at Lapaha.

Loloa’s wife Tu’itamala Lōloa confirmed to Kaniva News last night that she was driving the car at the time of the accident.

Latu and Loloa are being remembered for their friendship since they were at Tonga High School.

Loloa was teaching at Talafo’ou Government School while Latu held a Teaching Assistant post at the university.

Police said a 24-year-old was driving when his 1500 kg pick up van veered off the road and hit a Pulukamu tree near Malapo.

Police Chief Inspector Tupou ʻOtutaha told Kaniva News they have information alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash.

The driver was the only person in the van while the incident occurred.

ʻOtutaha also said Police found a significant increase in motorists driving after consuming alcohol this year and as a result death toll also increasing significantly.