Monday August 11, 2003
By Elizabeth Binning
NZ Herald

Jared Selby and his girlfriend Johanna O'Connor planned to spend Saturday night watching the All Blacks on television before going to a 21st party in Hamilton. But Mr Selby, a 22-year-old soldier who has twice served in East Timor, and Ms O'Connor, a 20-year-old student and national surf lifesaving champion, never made it to the party. The young Auckland couple were instead rushed to Waikato Hospital after being hit by an out-of-control car. Last night they both remained in a critical condition, with Mr Selby fighting for his life in the intensive care unit. The accident happened about 3pm on Saturday as the couple were walking along River Rd, just south of the entrance to Waikato Diocesan School for Girls. Sergeant Warren Shaw said police were still trying to establish what happened, but it appeared the driver of a small 4WD lost control of her car. Mr Selby and Ms O'Connor took the full impact of the Toyota Rav as it crashed on to the footpath and through a fence. They ended up on the front lawn of a house they had been walking past, surrounded by torn fence posts and branches. Neighbours who rushed to the scene said they heard "an almighty bang" as the car crashed through the fence. One woman, who did not want to be named, said she arrived to find the couple unconscious and bleeding heavily on either side of the car. The driver, a 45-year-old woman, was not injured. "She said she just lost control of the car. She just looked shocked," the witness said. Ambulance officers took the injured couple to Waikato Hospital with multiple injuries. Ms O'Connor's father, Steve O'Connor, last night said Johanna, who won the open women's surf race at the New Zealand surf lifesaving championships in March, was still in a coma but was expected to "pull through". The athletic Ms O'Connor, who recently modelled for clothing brand Body Glove, is breathing through a ventilator. She has a fractured skull, damaged ligaments, broken check bones and a broken nose. Mr Selby is in a more serious condition and his family have gathered in Hamilton to be with him. Mr O'Connor said he did not know much about the accident, but it sounded like a case of bad timing for the couple, who had been dating for about 18 months. "It was an example of wrong place, wrong time." Police were yesterday still talking to the driver and had not decided if charges would be laid. This clipping was produced under licence and a copyright fee paid. No further copies may be made without license from PMCA.