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 1972 - 2006 (34 years)
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| Name |
Kerry Mavis Peka |
| Born |
22 Apr 1972 [1] |
| Gender |
Male |
| Died |
01 Dec 2006 |
Mourea, Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand  |
| Notes |
- Police hunt hit and run killer
Kelly Makiha - Saturday, December 2, 2006 14:30
A Rotorua woman found dead on a highway was killed by a hit-and-run driver, police believe. Kerry Peka, a 34-year-old KFC worker, was found lying in the middle of the road by Te Puke people about 3am yesterday on State Highway 33 at Mourea, near the Happy Angler store.
Police believe she was hit by a vehicle, but are mystified as to who struck Ms Peka and what she was doing at Mourea. Her death is also a mystery to her workmates, who are stumped to know why she was so far away from her home in the early hours.
KFC Rotorua restaurant manager Pam Kippax said staff members were in tears yesterday when they got word from police. She said the news was so devastating the management team went home.Kerry had worked at KFC for eight months and was considered a valued employee."
Her life was going so well. She lived close to town and she loved coming to work. She was definitely part of the team. She is going to be missed by everyone, especially with the shifts she did at night, she was the backbone of the store."
Miss Kippax said Kerry had a daughter who was about 12, who lived with Kerry's parents in Tokoroa. She is understood to have a brother and sister who lived in Rotorua. She moved to Rotorua about eight months ago after living in Australia. The last shift she worked was on Wednesday and she was dropped home at the end of it.
Miss Kippax said she hoped whoever hit her would come forward as soon as possible to help ease the pain for her family and friends. "It's also hard not knowing why she was out there as well because she didn't have a vehicle."
Detective Sergeant George Staunton of the Rotorua police said there was a "strong possibility" she had been hit by a vehicle. He said police were still at a loss to know why she had been at Mourea so early in the morning. He said the police's serious crash unit was still carrying out a reconstruction of the scene as well as trying to piece together her movements.
Mr Staunton said police found some items at the scene that were relevant to what might have happened but he could not confirm what they were. He said an autopsy was to be carried on the woman's body in Auckland to determine how she died but it appeared it was from injuries after being hit by a car, including severe head injuries.
Late yesterday afternoon he told the Daily Post their inquiries were progressing well. Police were to speak to some people in relation to the incident but Mr Staunton was not able to give any more details. He said police would not be releasing any further information until today.
The Daily Post Rotorua
Driver not responsible for death
Kelly Makiha - Thursday, December 28, 2006 12:56
A teenager who ran over a Rotorua woman at Mourea nearly a month ago will be charged - but is not being held accountable for her death.
The 18-year-old was driving a car that hit 34-year-old Kerry Peka on State Highway 33 at Mourea about 3am on December 1.
Acting Senior Sergeant Deirdre Lack of the Rotorua police said although the woman died as a result of injuries after being hit by a car, the driver was not at fault.
She said Miss Peka's death would be referred to the coroner. However, the teenager allegedly failed to immediately report he had been involved in the crash and he would be summonsed to appear in the Rotorua District Court on a charge of failing to report an injury crash to police.
Originally Miss Peka's family and her colleagues at KFC in Rotorua were confused about why she had been at Mourea so early in the morning.However, police have now determined she had been drinking at a party there.
Miss Peka was the mother of an 11-year-old girl who lives with her grandparents at Tokoroa.
The Daily Post Rotorua
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| Person ID |
I2385 |
Frost Family |
| Last Modified |
29 Aug 2022 |
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