Car cartwheels, man critical

Senior Constable Jim Hawthorn

A man remains in a critical condition after being thrown from a car that cartwheeled into a Northland paddock.

Serious crash investigator Senior Constable Jim Hawthorn said three young men were travelling on Matauri Bay Rd in Kaeo towards SH10 on Saturday at 11.51pm, when it is believed the driver lost control and the car tumbled upside down in a paddock.

"The car went 100m off road and it looked like it had cartwheeled into a paddock on the side of the road that leads to Matauri Bay," Mr Hawthorn said.

The crew in the Northland Electricity rescue helicopter were called to transport the man, initially to Whangarei Hospital, then later on to Auckland Hospital where he remained. The other two in the vehicle were taken to Bay of Islands Hospital to be checked before they were released.

Mr Hawthorn said the road was covered in debris from the car and Kaeo's chief fire officer, Lindsay Murray, said the car was demolished.

"The car was upside down and very badly damaged," Mr Murray said.

"One person ended up about 10m away from the car in a paddock. We had reports the car was initially on fire but the bystander said it went out within 15 minutes."

Emergency services attended the crash, including the Kaeo fire brigade, Kerikeri fire brigade, ambulance and police.

Mr Hawthorn said an investigation was underway.

In 2009, a 55-year-old man died when the 2008 Porsche 911 Turbo in which he was a passenger missed a corner on Matauri Bay Rd.