Bikers killed in crash named

Southern Police have named the two men killed in a collision between a car and two motorcycles on the Lindis Pass, near Omarama, on Monday.

They were:

Grant John ROBERTS, aged 43 years, of Timaru.

Dennis Michael PEDERSON, aged 54 years, of Tauranga.

Yesterday, police charged a 20-year-old woman, a visiting Chinese national, with two charges of careless driving causing death relating to the crash. Other charges are likely to follow.

The woman is injured and receiving medical treatment, but was due to appear in the Alexandra District Court yesterday.

Alexandra Senior Sergeant Ian Kerrisk said that while police have a clear picture of what occurred, they still ask for witnesses to come forward regarding the driving behaviour of both groups before the crash.

"We are particularly interested in movements of a dark-coloured Nissan sedan with a single female occupant travelling south from Omarama towards Cromwell between midday and 2.15pm [Monday]," he said.

"We believe that this vehicle was following a white stationwagon a short time before the crash occurred. We would like the driver of that white stationwagon to contact police."

Mr Kerrisk said police would also appreciate any witnesses who saw a group of eight-10 motorcyclists on large Harley Davidson motorcycles travelling from Cromwell towards Omarama on Monday afternoon around the same time.

Cromwell Police have had several people contact them with information.

The female pillion passenger on the rear of one of the motorcycles remains in a critical condition in Dunedin Hospital. Police say her name will not be released. Alcohol is not suspected to be a factor in the crash.