Two days after logging trucks were back on the road Northland had its first truck crash on SH14. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Two days after logging trucks were back on the road Northland had its first truck crash on SH14. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Only days after logging trucks were allowed back on Northland roads under Covid-19 alert level 3 a rig has crashed injuring the driver.
Senior Constable Ewen Cummings, of Dargaville police, said the first person on the scene about 1.25pm yesterday was his colleague Sergeant Bevan Jones who was a member of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Team. Jones raised the alarm and got an ambulance on the road after finding the driver with injuries.
Cummings said the fully laden truck and trailer unit was heading towards Whangārei to deliver the load out to the port, when it crashed on Con's Hill, State Highway 14.
Some of the logs from the truck spilled on to the road, blocking both lanes temporarily. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.
The driver was treated by St John staff at the scene and then transported to Whangārei Hospital. Cummings said the truck unit was righted and the road cleared of logs.
Investigations into the crash would continue before charges, if any, were considered.
Dargaville Volunteer firefighters were also called to the truck scene and came straight after helping at a motorbike crash at Kaihu about 12.15pm. It is understood the rider got the speed wobbles and hit a bank, breaking his arm.
The firefighters set up a landing site for the Northland Rescue Helicopter team and the man was flown to Whangārei Hospital.
Meanwhile officers in Whangārei tried to stop a stolen vehicle when the driver fled from a traffic check south of Whangārei about 12.45pm yesterday.
Senior Sergeant Ryan Gray said police abandoned the chase several times. Then the driver was spotted in Hikurangi, then on Otonga Rd.
The driver, and a front seat passenger, were last seen heading along Whananaki North Rd.
Gray said the decision was made to call off all the officers involved because the driver was endangering police staff as well as members of the public.
The vehicle had been stolen from Bank St, Whangārei, earlier in the day.
Thursday afternoon's crash near Kaikohe cut power to more than 170 households on Mataraua Rd and surrounding areas. Photo / Supplied
Later, about 2.30pm, SH12 was blocked and more than 170 households lost power when a car hit a power pole just west of Kaikohe.
The accident occurred at the intersection of SH12 and Mataraua Rd. The driver was unhurt and able to get out of the vehicle, believed to be a Subaru Impreza.
Kaikohe fire chief Bill Hutchinson said it was not clear what had caused the crash which left power lines hanging low over the highway.
Thursday afternoon's crash near Kaikohe cut power to more than 170 households on Mataraua Rd and surrounding areas. Photo / Supplied
Firefighters made the scene safe and managed to get traffic flowing.
Later the highway was closed while Top Energy workers replaced the teetering pole.
