Owen Parnell, 24, will appear in the Hawera District Court on the 2nd July 2013 charged with careless driving causing death and careless driving causing injury over the December 1st 2012 crash. Two motorcyclists died in the crash and four others were taken to hospital. Parnell, unemployed, has undergone nine operations and may never walk again. Gordon Thomas McKay, 68, of Bell Block, New Plymouth, died after last year’s December 1 crash on a rural southern Taranaki road. The annual Round the Mountain toy run was organised by Bikers Rights of New Zealand. About 200 riders travelled from New Plymouth via Bell Block, Inglewood and Stratford on the December rally. On the night of the crash, the manager of a community hall where the ride was completed said the bikers raised mugs of tea to their mates, delivered the toys as planned and quietly dispersed to their homes.
