Fleeing Blind Mother May Have Broken Law, Police Say Offbeat

CITY FINAL $1 RD extra 5c THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2007 www.waikatotimes.co.nz STORM DAMAGE: Bystanders comfort each other at the site of the fallen tree in Ruakura Rd, Hamilton, which critically injured an international student yesterday afternoon. PICTURE: Kelly Schicker Falling tree crushes student Yesterday’s wild weather left a student fighting for her life and caused havoc across the region. Andrew McAlley reports. An international student is line workers had to repair He said council workers on life support in Waikato downed power lines. were out until 8.00 last night Hospital with serious head in- The bad weather also affect- responding to 24 callouts juries after she was crushed ed several city traffic lights. throughout the city. by a tree in Hamilton Police were on points duty at Metservice forecaster Bob yesterday. several major intersections. Lake predicted more rain for Waikato police communica-On Memorial Dr a woman the Waikato region over the tions manager Kris McGehan returned to her parked car to next three days which comes said police initially found it find it had been crushed by a as a relief to firefighters and difficult to identify the woman tree. farmers. because of the severity of herA large acacia tree slipped Just last week the region’s injuries.from a bank during the high fire services were concerned at The Waikato Times under-winds, flattening Tracey Row- the dry conditions. stands she is aged about 21 an’s 1988 car. But yesterday’s rainfall — and in New Zealand on a stu- “I didn’t find out until I was of 20mm in Te Kuiti and dent visa. Her parents are fly-walking to my car and noticed Otorohanga, 15mm in Tokoroa, ing here from Taiwan.the street blocked off, about 16mm in Taupo, and 15mm in Police said the woman was 3pm. I thought ‘my goodness, Hamilton — would help to re- walking on Ruakura Rd nearwhat’s going on?’ and then duce soil moisture deficits. the roundabout with Silverdale realised what was going on “It’s going to take a while to Rd, close to Waikato Universi- was around my car,” she said. break even. The water tables ty, when the tree fell in gusty Mrs Rowan said council are low. But there’s been winds about 4.45pm. workers used a crow bar to enough rain to wet the “Initially witnesses didn’t open her doors and help her ground.” realise she had been trapped retrieve items from the boot. Mr Lake said showers were under the tree,” said Ms “Then I walked back to a welcome change for the re- McGehan. work and caught a bus home,” gion, which received below-av- The accident was one of sev- she said. erage rain last month. eral in the Waikato that emer- Hamilton City Council com- He predicted more rain and gency services had to deal withmunications manager Philip northwesterly winds for the as strong winds and rainBurton said the council as- weekend, but said dry weather lashed the region. sessed the stability of trees in was forecast for next week. Residents living in parts of the city. Hamilton Airport recorded Horotiu and Raglan faced pow- “Especially those in parks wind gusts of up to 83km/h er cuts of up to 15 hours and reserves and around main yesterday, with coastal Waika- overnight. thoroughfares, but it’s obvious- to regions reaching 90km/h. In Hamilton, emergency ly not possible to monitor ev- Elsewhere in the country crews responded after a five- ery tree in the city. the shopping centre at strong rowing crew overturned “There’s been reports of a Raumati Beach, near near Claudelands Bridge in a fair amount of damage to trees Paraparaumu, suffered flood- choppy Waikato River. They across the city, which is to be ing while roofs were blown off swam to shore safely. expected when you have condi- in parts of Wellington. In Rimu St, Maeroa, power- tions like this.” To Student crushed, page 3 CRUSHED: Hamilton City Council aborist Billy Pettigrew cuts up a tree which damaged a car in Memorial Dr, Hamilton, yesterday. PICTURE: Peter Drury Offbeat Fleeing blind mother may have broken law, police say An American music producer has reportedly stunned a judge by revealing he bid to keep her daughter. She went blind three years ago after return from a three-day holiday on months during a custody dispute with By Natalie Akoorie and Esther Harward is set to have six children this year — by A police spokeswoman said a com- an operation to remove a benign Saturday. Her former partner and fa- his ex-partner’s maternal family, said six women. Ricky Lackey was being plaint was officially laid with them brain tumour. Her stepfather said ther of the child said he had not going on the run was not the answer. sentenced for attempted theft in Hamilton police have confirmed yesterday although she would not saythere was much more to the case. heard from them. “I guess I can understand the level Cincinnati, Ohio, last week, when they are investigating whether a who made the complaint.“There’s very little I want to say “I imagine they’ll be lying low for a of frustration that she’s feeling but Hamilton County common pleas judge blind woman breached a parenting Melba Marsh asked how many children order by taking her young daughter “We have had a complaint...and about it other than I hope people while and that’s fine with me. The it’s certainly not going to resolve any- we are currently investigating wheth-have the commonsense to realise that more time they can keep away from thing. I don’t believe that those kinds he had. According to the Cincinnati out of the country in the middle of a Enquirer, she was confused when the 25- custody dispute. er she has breached a parenting or-the courts here don’t operate in that here the better. And the longer those of actions are going to have any posi- year-old replied: ‘‘None, but I have six on Yesterday the Waikato Times re- der,” the spokeswoman said. way and that there is always many, two are together the better.” tive effect. All it’s doing is (creating) the way.’’ She asked if he was marrying a vealed that the Hamilton woman, The 28-year-old blind woman ismany more issues.” However, Chris Jones, whose six- an upheaval. You have to put your woman with six children, only to be told: who cannot be named for legal rea- fighting her mother and stepfatherFriends believe the woman has year-old son Jayden Headley was tak- own views aside and think what’s ‘‘No, I be concubining.’’ Lackey’s lawyer, sons, is believed to have fled the for sole custody of the child in a casefled to Europe, where her British fa- en from the Hamilton Central best for the child, which is often the Stephen Wenke, then reportedly stopped country with the five-year-old in a currently before the Family Court. ther has property, after she did not Library in August and hidden for five most difficult thing for parents to do.” his client from saying any more. A FAIRFAX MEDIA INSIDE: TV, WEATHER P14 BUSINESS P15-18 SPORT P28-24 FAMILY NOTICES P13 FULL INDEX P2 NEWSPAPER 9 4 1 4 3 8 8 0 0 7 2 4 6 Late Summer Hot Specials!! 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