A 14-year-old's chilling last words to pal in horror crash have emerged after the two took a car for a joyride.
Seconds before their vehicle crashed down a steep bank, Simon Norris said: “I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die”.
His friend begged him “don’t die” and said he loved him before rushing to get help.
Emergency assistance came but when they arrived Simon was dead.
Coroner Marcus Elliot released the findings into the teenager's death.
They concluded the tragedy was “inevitable” and cited the teenager's lack of driving experience and the vehicle's over-inflated tyres as it went downhill on gravel.
Simon, of Greymouth, New Zealand, had gone to his 13-year-old mate's home in for a sleepover on March 5, last year.
His friend’s mum said she made food before going to bed at around 7pm.
After Simon wanted to take the car belonging to the 13-year-old's his brother for a drive.
But the youngster did not want to and was worried his brother be furious yet was persuaded to go on a trip.
They crept out and pushed the car out of the drive and then started the engine.
But the teen said Simon “lost control” as they turned on a bend in the road.
Stuff reports his friend predicted the tragedy and his dying words, but begged him not to die because he adored him.
He said: “Then when the car crashed, I was just there, his legs were like across me, and he was like leaning back saying ‘I’m gonna die, I’m gonna die’
“I said, ‘don’t die ... I f…ing love you’.”
His pal tried to call home but his phone had no SIM card and he walked home to tell his mum about the accident.
They discovered the scene of the smash after asking a neighbour to take them, but the car was badly damaged when they arrived.
Simon was pulled out of the out of the vehicle but emergency services confirmed he was dead when they arrived.
The 13-year-old told cops his driving was not bad at first and that he seemed to be enjoying the ride.
Simon’s system had no evidence of any drugs or alcohol, an autopsy found.
No braking signs were evident and no-one was wearing a seatbelt but three tyres were overinflated, which may have been significant.
He was driving at least 31 mph when the car went off the road.
The coroner offered his condolences to Simon’s family and made no recommendations at the hearing.
His dad, Ch’e Norris was devastated by the incident but said his son had never driven before.
