A horror crash that claimed the lives of two men means there have been three deaths on a "shocking" stretch of highway, south of Maungatapere.
Brian Harding, 54, and another man were in the driver's seats of their respective vehicles when they collided head-on along State Highway14 at about 9.40am on Sunday.
The two men died at the scene of the crash, between Otuhi Rd and Whatitiri Rd in Whekī Valley.
Harding was travelling with his family, including his wife and three children aged 16, 13 and 3 — in their Nissan Wingroad when it was struck by a Suzuki car occupied by the other man and a companion.
Crash analyst Jeff Cramp, of the police Serious Crash Unit, said the Nissan's front-seat passenger was critically injured in the crash and the children suffered non-life-threatening injuries.