Four people were injured in a three car crash on State Highway 1 south of Whangarei yesterday. The crash happened about 12.15pm between Toe Toe Rd and Loop Rd near Longview Estate. One car was blocking the northbound passing lane, but traffic was able to get past in both directions. Three people received minor injuries and a fourth person had moderate injuries. Two ambulances attended the scene. The road was cleared about 1pm.
Two killed in collision
The two people killed in a head-on collision in Northland on Easter Monday were Yvarn Manaia Te Pania, 24, and James Alexander Hamiora, 26, police say. The pair died late on Easter Monday night near Wakelin Rd about 7km south of Kerikeri on State Highway 10. Two others in the same car were injured and taken to hospital. The 22-year-old American driver of the other car was arrested after one of the cars was believed to have crossed the centre dividing line. The deaths have been referred to the coroner and bring Northland's 2018 road toll to 17, more than double the eight road deaths at the same stage of 2017.
Man in custody
A Whangarei man who allegedly fraudulently used the credit card of a tourist has been remanded in custody. No plea was taken when Shane Curtis Ihaia, 36, of Kensington appeared in the Whangarei District Court yesterday on 12 charges of using a document for pecuniary advantage. He allegedly used a Kiwibank visa debit card of a man who visited Northland from the central North Island and made purchases of more than $1000 in Whangarei between Sunday last week and Monday this week. Ihaia will be back in court on April 16.
