Emergency services were called to the scene around 12.30am Friday, where both victims were found dead.
A neighbour who lives across the road said he was jolted awake by a loud bang at about 12.25am.
“When I went outside, there was already a body on the road,” he said.
The man, who has lived in the area with his wife for 10 years, said it was the first serious crash of this nature he had ever seen on the street.
His wife said the crash scene was not cleared until about 3am, leaving residents shaken and sleepless.
Another immediate neighbour said he was woken by people already standing on the road.
“I was pretty sure there were casualties,” he said.
Te Rapa Rd was closed between Forest Lake Rd and Vardon Rd for several hours while the Serious Crash Unit carried out a scene examination. Police later confirmed the road had reopened.
Hato Hone St John said it was alerted to the crash at 12.28am and responded with two ambulances, a rapid response unit and an operations manager. Fire and Emergency New Zealand sent two fire trucks, which remained on scene for about 40 minutes.
An investigation into the circumstances of the crash is ongoing.
For Singh’s loved ones, the loss has been devastating — and the timing cruel.
Parmar said Singh had been living in New Zealand for two years with his wife, Manpreet Kaur, and their children.
While his wife and children are New Zealand citizens, Singh was in the country on a spousal visa and was the family’s main breadwinner.
“What’s making it a lot worse for all of us is his wife had actually gone back to India to see family,” Parmar said.
Urgent arrangements are now being made for her and the children to travel back to New Zealand.
Singh was originally from the village of Jassard in the Ropar (Rupnagar) district of Punjab.
“He carried with him the values of family, humility and hard work that defined his upbringing,” Parmar said.
A Givealittle page has been set up to help support Singh’s wife as she navigates both her grief and the sudden financial strain left behind by the tragedy.
“The funds raised will help provide immediate financial support, allowing the family the time and space to grieve without added pressure.”
Tom Eley is a multimedia journalist at the Waikato Herald. He previously worked for the Weekend Sun and Sunlive.
