Biker killed after car ploughs into motorcycle rally

One person died and eleven others were in hospital after a car ploughed through a motorcycle rally near Hastings about 6pm yesterday.

About 100 riders from the Outlaw Motorcycle Club were riding along Maraekakaho Road when a rider and a Nissan Pajero collided, sending the car into the group, hitting about six bikes.

The female passenger on the lead motorcycle was killed.

The crash happened on the corner of Maraekakaho Rd and State Highway 50.

A rider who arrived about 30 seconds after the accident described the "carnage" with people lying in drains and one motorbike on fire.

"It was very, very ugly. There were people everywhere, carnage everywhere, and bikes everywhere. The people I saw were pretty badly hurt, they weren't moving too much."

The rider helped the driver of the car. "He was pretty shaken up. He wasn't too badly hurt but was holding his arm."

The crash is believed to have occurred at the front of the group of riders on a straight section of road.

"The guy up the front of the bunch was pretty hurt, I heard," the rider said.

The riders were part of a poker run which involves a group of riders and stopping at scheduled areas.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY