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Photo: Open Justice / Belinda Feek
High on meth, Norton Sowerby drove his car onto train tracks, causing it to be struck by an oncoming train and killing three of his friends.
Immediately after the crash, he swallowed pills and told police that he was not the driver.
But he was.
The 37-year-old had ignored pleas from his passengers not to drive through the controlled barrier train crossing on Peachgrove Road in Hamilton early on 13 November, last year.
The vehicle was struck by a passing train, killing three of his friends.
William Chaney Marsters Brown, 46, Shylin Huirama-Osborne, 26, and Sione Leapulu Nusipepa, 23, all died in the early morning crash. A fourth passenger survived but was seriously injured.
Sowerby later returned a methamphetamine reading of 300ng/ml.
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