A 55-year-old driver whose vehicle collided head on with a vehicle on Hihifo Road last week has been charged with reckless driving causing death.. 

Police today said the accused from Hala-‘o-vave who was admitted with injuries to Vaiola Hospital after the crash, had been released.

On August 15 Police arrested and charged him with reckless driving causing death of the other driver ‘Aisea Kaifa (66).

The accused remains in Police custody to appear at the Magistrate’s Court on a later date. Alcohol and speeding were factors in the road fatality, said the Police spokesperson.

Meanwhile, the victim who was from New Zealand living in Kanokupolu died on August 11 from the collision on Hihifo Road between Fatai and Sia’atoutai at around 10:00pm.

Police reported that the victim was driving in his car from town back to the western district. A vehicle heading the opposite direction, driven by the accused, overtook a vehicle and collided head on with the victim's car.

Both drivers were each carrying one passenger who both sustained minor injuries.

This is the third road death so far this year in Tonga.