Breakthrough in racer death crash probe

DIED AT THE SCENE: Victor Lal, who had inherited the chiefly title Ratu.

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Police investigating a suspected street race crash that killed two people in Birkenhead have seized a silver Honda.

Two young men died when their silver Mitsubishi crashed into a concrete barrier before rolling at the intersection of Birkenhead Ave and Pupuke Rd about 1.15am yesterday.

The driver, Ratu Victor Vikash Junior Lal, 23, of Milford, and his passenger, Adam Gary Bennett Herrick, 18, died at the scene.

Police believe the pair were racing another car, which fled the scene.

Police spoke with two of the four Honda occupants last night and will be interviewing the driver and third passenger later this morning.

The Honda was to be forensically investigated.

Police are still appealing to witnesses to come forward.

One of two people killed in the crash was the grandson of a Fijian chief.

Mr Lal's brother, Prenay Lal, said the dead pair worked together in the building industry and were friends.

"He [Adam Herrick] was always welcome in our home," Mr Lal said.

Mr Herrick's death was the second to strike the Herrick family in the past six months, after the passing of his mother.

Mr Lal was the oldest grandson of Fijian chief Tony McKenzie and had inherited the chiefly title of ratu, his brother said.

Residents living near the crash site reported hearing a "tremendous crash", followed by silence.

They said street races were common in the area and called the crash a tragedy that had been waiting to happen.

Mr Herrick's sister, Samantha Anderson, said street racing was not something her brother was interested in. "Adam has never been in any way a boy racer.

Cars had not ever been his scene and he was devastatingly in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"For this to be named as a boy racer incident is very wrong. These were boys who made some bad decisions in terms of what they chose to do last night, as I'm sure we all have."

- © Fairfax NZ News