• Lance Hohaia Houpapa died from injuries not detected during treatment after a road crash in 2022.
• Coroner Mike Robb ruled no inquiry was needed, and Houpapa didn’t report pain in the fatal area.
• Tamihana Curtis was convicted of careless driving, causing the crash that led to Houpapa’s death.

Rotorua man Lance Hohaia Houpapa was discharged from hospital after a serious car crash and sent home to recover – but he was found dead in his armchair four days later.

A coroner has now ruled he died from injuries not found during treatment and an x-ray at Rotorua Hospital.

But despite the findings, Coroner Mike Robb has ruled it is not necessary or appropriate to open a coroner’s inquiry into Houpapa’s 2022 death.

Coroner Robb’s finding said Houpapa had not presented with pain in the region of the internal injury that eventually caused his death, and it was not X-rayed. It was also an unusual injury for a crash.

Houpapa, a farmer, died on April 21, 2022, following an April 17 crash on Fairy Springs Rd when a distracted driver, Tamihana Curtis, collided with the rear of Houpapa‘s vehicle at speed.

The crash had earlier been described in the Rotorua District Court process as “dramatic”, with Houpapa‘s car ending up against the wall of the Countdown supermarket on Fairy Springs Rd.

Tamihana Curtis appears in Rotorua District Court. Photo / Andrew Warner

Curtis was convicted for careless driving and sentenced in March last year to 100 hours of community work and 12 months’ supervision.

Coroner Robb said in his decision dated March 6, but released publicly today, that Houpapa was taken to Rotorua Hospital with an injury to his scalp and pain in his lower lumbar region.

An X-ray of his lumbar spine was performed which identified no fractures or other injuries to that region of his body.

He was discharged from hospital but later found dead in his armchair at home.

His death was reported to the national duty coroner and a post-mortem examination was directed.

Pathologist Dr Mark Wickham identified the cause of Houpapa’s death was traumatic aortic laceration at T4 level following a massive left haemothorax and fracture at the T4 vertebra (upper back).

The expert advice was he suffered external trauma that caused the major artery to bleed.

Coroner Robb’s finding said the T4 fracture was not identified in the X-ray because no X-ray of that region was taken, given Houpapa didn’t report any pain in that region.

Wickham said it was unusual to have an aortic injury and rupture in that area from traumatic events such as motor vehicle collisions.

From the location, he suggested compression against the seatbelt might have resulted in the fracture and consequent injury to the aorta.

Wickham explained in his finding the initial aortic injury would have been minor but due to the significant pressure of blood flowing through the aorta, “that initial injury or weakness suddenly resulted in a massive rupture”.

Coroner Robb said he was satisfied matters requiring determination by way of a coronial inquiry had been adequately established in the police investigation and district court criminal prosecution proceedings.

“I have determined that it is neither necessary nor appropriate to open and conduct a coronial inquiry accordingly.”

He offered his condolences to Houpapa’s family who continued to grieve his “sudden and avoidable death”.

Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.