One of the first passers-by to have arrived at the fatal crash site on Halaliku road at ‘Utulau on Tuesday has claimed she heard laughter coming from a cellphone found near the deceased.
The woman and a brother were on their way back to Ha’alalo when they saw a car tyre on the road. They pulled over to check.
The woman, who we choose not to name her, heard a voice from a bush allotment which appeared to be of somebody who was in difficulty.
She went to check and found the deceased lying on the ground and saw his wife lying nearby.
She was scared when she heard laughter and realised it was from the cellphone, which was still on, after the vehicle the deceased and his injured wife were travelling in collided with a tree.
She said it appeared someone was video calling over the phone before the crash occurred.
The woman picked up the phone and attempted to talk to the receiver but there was no answer.
In a Facebook live video clip of the incident obtained by Kaniva news, the woman can be heard and seen handing a cellphone over to a police officer telling him it was found at the scene.
As Kaniva news reported on Tuesday, Mr Taniela Manu, 25, died at the scene while his wife was rushed to Vaiola hospital. She remains there in a stable condition.
Police suspected speed was a factor in the fatal crash.
Lavinia has just arrived in Tongatapu from New Zealand to attend her cousin’s wedding this weekend.
