'I could've got hit': Near-miss before horror Diwali crash claimed three young lives

A delivery driver is thankful she didn’t get hit after witnessing a car travelling on the wrong side of the road at speeds “way over” 100km/h before a deadly crash in South Auckland. 

Three people died after a car believed to be travelling at speed went over a footpath and about 20m of grass before smashing through a fence and into the side of a BurgerFuel restaurant in Takanini on Sunday night. 

Emergency services were called about 10.15pm after the crash at the Oak Junction shops, south of the Walters Rd roundabout at Southgate. 

The delivery driver, who did not want to be named, was working just before 10pm when she saw a car zoom past on the wrong side of the road at high speed, narrowly missing the vehicle ahead of her. 

“I had just pulled out of the garage and the Night ’n Day store to drive to the other side of the road to go down Mahia Rd when that car went speeding past. 

“I mean, really fast, just missing the car that was in front of me in the next lane. I reckon if he didn’t swerve, that car would have hit them straight on. 

“I had my grandson in the car too... I said to him ‘did you see that f***ing car nearly hit that other car?’” 

She estimated the car was travelling “way over” 100km/h in the 50km/h zone and believed it was the same vehicle involved in the fatal crash at BurgerFuel a few minutes later. 

“I use that road quite a bit when I’m delivering food in the weekends and that’s the first time I’ve come across a car at that speed.” 

She wondered what may have happened if she pulled out on to the road a few moments later: “I could have got hit.” 

The car in Sunday's accident smashed through a metal gate and into a BurgerFuel building. Photo / Hayden Woodward 

Police said all three occupants of the car were pronounced dead at the scene. 

On Tuesday, Supreme Sikh Society and Central Sikh Association president Daljit Singh shared the “very sad news” that the victims were three young people from Punjabi Indian families. 

“All three bodies will be sent to India as per the wishes of the family and we are in contact with the family members,” he said in a Facebook post, translated into English. 

“On behalf of the community, our condolences are with family, friends at this sad time and the community will be asked for help as police investigations are completed.” 

Singh said he could not yet name the victims. 

“Information about those who died in this accident can be shared after police investigation.” 

An investigation into the circumstances of the crash and formal identification processes are ongoing. 

Police had not received any “driving complaints” before the crash. The vehicle was not stolen and police “weren’t responding to the vehicle” when it crashed. 

Photos showed the car as a mangled wreck, while smashed glass, a bent metal gate and debris from the vehicle were strewn across the surrounding area the following morning. 

A BurgerFuel spokesperson said the restaurant was closed at the time and staff working were not injured. 

The crash left extensive damage to the BurgerFuel store front. Photo / Joel Kulasingham 

A worker from the neighbouring shops said it wasn’t the first time a major crash had happened in the area, with a car losing control at the same roundabout and smashing into a tree in the last year or so. 

“It’s a dangerous area,” he said. “People just speed through here. They’ll speed through the carpark as well. It’s a nightmare.” 

Another worker echoed similar sentiments about the area after hearing about the “sad” crash. 

“Quite a lot of street racers come by and they’re always driving really fast down here. It’s so bad.”