Overview
- Ramandeep Dhillon, 36, died at the scene after a collision on Te Puke Highway between Bell Road and Poplar Lane, and two people in the other vehicle were injured.
- Police are investigating the crash and have formally referred the case to the Coroner for a cause-of-death determination.
- Dhillon was working an evening Uber shift and left behind his wife, Veerpal Kaur, and their 18-month-old daughter, Kudrat.
- The family held a funeral that attracted attendees from across New Zealand and a Givealittle fundraiser has raised more than NZ$33,000 to cover funeral and living costs.
- Dhillon’s life path—from arriving on a student visa in 2015 to seasonal orchard work and then driving for Uber for flexible hours—reflects common labour routes for South Asian migrants and helps explain the family’s financial vulnerability after his death.