Who is Tupea Mika? The 20-Year-Old Jailed for Fatal Drink-Driving Crash

Tupea Mika, a 20-year-old machine operator, has been sentenced to prison after causing the death of a woman in a drink-driving crash.

Mika, once described as an “honest, decent” young man, was driving drunk on State Highway 2 south of Whakatāne when his car crossed the center line and collided with another vehicle. The crash killed a mother and injured her daughter.

The Fatal Crash

On the night of October 4, 2024, Mika drank between eight and 10 bottles of beer before getting behind the wheel. At 11:40 p.m., he lost control on a bend and crashed into an oncoming car.

• The mother in the passenger seat was flown to Waikato Hospital but later died.

• The daughter, who was driving, suffered injuries including cuts, abrasions, and bruising.

A blood test five hours after the crash showed Mika’s alcohol level was 53mg per 100ml of blood. Experts said it was likely between 100 and 180mg/ml at the time of the accident – up to three times the legal limit for adults. But because Mika was under 20, the legal limit for him was zero.

Court Sentencing

Judge Louis Bidois of the Whakatāne District Court sentenced Mika in July 2025 to 14 and a half months in prison on two charges:

• Causing death while under the influence of alcohol or drugs

• Causing injury while under the influence of alcohol or drugs

Judge Bidois delivered a clear message: “You drink and drive, you kill someone, you go to jail.”

Mika appealed the sentence, asking for home detention instead of prison, but High Court Justice Michele Wilkinson-Smith dismissed the appeal.

A Repeat Offender

This was not Mika’s first offense. Just 18 months earlier, he had already been caught drink-driving. He was fined and banned from driving for six months.

Justice Wilkinson-Smith said Mika was a repeat offender who ignored the law, drove on a restricted license after 10 p.m., and put lives at risk.

Who is Tupea Mika?

Despite his actions, court documents showed Mika had strong support from family and friends:

• His father said he was raised with “strong morals and values.”

• His partner described him as respectful, caring, and fun.

• He was a former First XV rugby player at school.

• He worked as a machine operator before the crash.

Mika pleaded guilty and was assessed as having a low risk of reoffending.

Prison Term and Release

Mika’s 14½-month sentence means he will likely serve half his term in prison. That makes him eligible for release in March 2026.

However, both Judge Bidois and Justice Wilkinson-Smith stressed that a prison sentence was necessary to send a strong message: fatal drink-driving will not be tolerated in New Zealand.