Hearse pulled over by Te Anau police

JILL McKEE/Southland Times/Image ID 109172

PROCESSION PRANG: GWD Russells panelbeating leading-hand Brent Renton checking out Gerard Vallely's Commodore, which was damaged in a funeral procession pile-up.

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Police have launched an internal investigation after a Te Anau policewoman ordered a hearse to pull over as it led a cortege of between 80 and 100 cars from a funeral service to the Te Anau cemetery, causing nose-to-tail crashes behind.

The pile-up involved three vehicles, two of which were extensively damaged, and the policewoman having to ferry some mourners back to Te Anau.

There has been speculation the incident, which happened last Tuesday, was the funeral director's second brush with Te Anau police, who pulled him up for speeding en route to the town. This has been denied by the funeral director.

A son of the dead man, who was in the car behind the hearse, was "bloody furious" with police.

"I thought it was absolutely disgusting.

Here we are taking dad to the cemetery and we are all pulled over and there are accidents behind us. It was just like dominoes. People go to a funeral to send off a good mate and a good father and this bloody happens." He cannot understand how the policewoman could not know it was a funeral procession, and wants her to pay for the damage to the cars.

Southland police boss Inspector Tony O'Neill yesterday declined to comment on the incident, saying it was under investigation after a complaint was laid with police.

He declined to say who laid the complaint.

The funeral director, who requested not to be identified, said he had been travelling about 70kmh on the open road leading the cortege.

The hearse's lights were on, as were the lights of the 80 to 100 cars behind him.

The policewoman, parked on the opposite side of the road, had gestured and yelled at him to pull over, the funeral director said.

Worried there may be an accident or suchlike ahead and not wanting to subject the family to anything untoward, he pulled over.

However, the policewoman did not approach the hearse and after he went back to talk with family members the procession continued, the funeral director said. Unbeknown to him, three cars further back in the cortege had crashed when it was brought to a halt.

Waipahi man Gerard Vallely, who was in the middle of the pile-up, said yesterday he still couldn't fathom why the policewoman ordered the hearse to pull over.

The hearse was a light colour and maybe she just thought it was a slow car holding up traffic, he said.

His late-model Commodore was extensively damaged after being shunted into the vehicle in front of him. He estimated his speed at between 30kmh and 40kmh.

"We took evasive action then were rear-ended."

Mr Vallely said he sat in his car for about 10 minutes. The policewoman did not approach any of the vehicles involved and eventually he climbed out of his car window and went over to the police car, he said.

"Afterwards she was very nice to us ... then offered to bring us home to Waipahi."

Mr Vallely said he managed to drive his car back to Te Anau but the occupants of a badly damaged Land Cruiser were taken back in the police car.

Mr O'Neill said it could be "some weeks" before the investigation was completed.

- © Fairfax NZ News