A well known Whakatāne accountant and business leader has also died after a horror smash that killed a husband and wife, and injured their three children near Dunedin on Monday.

John Banbury died in Dunedin hospital on Tuesday night after the vehicle he was driving collided with Andrew and Kreshar Sheehan’s car at about 12.15pm on SH1 between Titri and Bungards Rd, near Waihola, 30 minutes south of Dunedin.

While the Sheehan’s died at the scene, Banbury and three of the couple’s children were taken to hospital.

Banbury was a well known businessman in Whakatāne having been the successful managing director of Prideaux & Co accounting firm for many years until he sold the practice to Rural Accountants Limited Partnership in 2018.

At the time Banbury’s partner Jane Tyson, who joined Prideaux & Co in 2005, said he was “very much the leader of the business”.

“In 1990, the opportunity came for us to buy into Prideaux & Co in Whakatāne which was exactly what John was looking for. Whakatāne was always a good fit for us and especially for John who is very much into his hunting and fishing.”

Banbury and Tyson’s two children have followed in their father’s footsteps and work for Rural Accountants as does Tyson as an accountant.

Rural Accountants’ director Shannon Harnett said Banbury was a “very well respected and well liked accountant” in Whakatāne.

“We would like to express our condolences to both families. It’s a terrible tragedy.”

On Tuesday night Kreshar Sheehan’s brother Jarrett Fitisemanu Fruean paid tribute to the “beautiful” couple and thanked friends and family for their “overwhelming support”.

“It is with a heavy heart that we share the sudden passing of our beautiful Kreshar Dannielle Sheehan and our beloved Andrew Francis Sheehan,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

“We thank those who have reached out already and those who have kept our family in your prayers. It has been an overwhelming response and no words can articulate how grateful we are for the out pour of love and support.

“We ask for your patience as we navigate the next few days as a family before we make an announcement of upcoming services.”

Family have set up a bank account in both New Zealand and Australia for those that want to help support the surviving children financially.

Another family member said Kreshar had messaged her daily while they were overseas. She said she was devastated by the loss.

“We talked regularly online… send stupid memes and messages. She always made sure to think about the delivery of her messages and actions to her kids. “’ ‘It’s their little minds, Niv! They take on everything!’ ”

“Manuia lau malaga family… don’t know what to say…”

Others said they were praying for the children.

The couple lived with their children in Te Kuiti and were members of the Hamilton branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Stuff understands three of their children were in the car.

Just hours before the crash, the couple posted a photo of themselves at a ski slope on their combined Facebook page after Kreshar celebrated her birthday on Sunday.

The emergency response involved two helicopters, three ambulances and two rapid response vehicles, A Hato Hone St John spokesperson said.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand sent crews from Milton, Balclutha and Waihola to the crash.

Police confirmed The Serious Crash Unit is investigating the accident.

The crash occurred two days after the small lakeside town celebrated an extension of the Clutha Gold Cycle train from Lawrence to Waihola.

The stretch of highway has long been problematic with several fatal crashes occurring and has earnt the nickname ‘death mile’.

Police are seeking help from the public and are asking anyone who saw the crash, assisted at the scene, or who may have information that could help, to come forward.

Anyone with information can contact the police via 105 or online at police.govt.nz/use-105, using 'Update My Report', referencing file number 230828/5647.

-Nadine Roberts/Stuff.