She also thanked the firefighters, medics, ambulance and hospital staff as well as her police colleagues, and said she would be back on the beat in a few days. It was strange and humbling to experience a crash from "the other side", Ms Knowler said.
The driver of the truck, who was thought to have been thrown from the cab, also suffered minor injuries. He was taken to Kaitaia Hospital for scans and X-rays.
Both vehicles sustained extensive frontal damage and ended up on the verge on the eastern side of the highway. As with any crash involving a police officer, it is being investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Authority.
Ms Knowler told her 1634 Facebook followers she was being treated like any other driver involved in an accident.
Her Facebook page and station phone have been flooded with messages of support since the crash. There were also plenty of jokes relating to the other vehicle's cargo.
Ahipara Septic Tank Cleaners, which owns the Pump It truck involved in the crash, could not be contacted.
