Car crash leaves boy trapped next to dead grandfather

Fallen power cables delayed emergency services in getting to the occupants of this car. Photo / Wanganui Chronicle

An 11-year-old boy was trapped in a crashed car with his dead grandfather for 20 minutes yesterday after the impact left live power cables strewn around the scene.

A blue station wagon driven by Peter Abraham Oliver, 64, from Bulls, hit a powerpole in Marton, 30km southeast of Wanganui, about 10.30am.

It rolled on to its roof, splitting the pole in half. That left live cables around the car and prevented emergency services from rescuing the boy.

No other vehicles were involved.

Marton Constable Paul Grayson said the 11-year-old was in shock and in the care of relatives.

He could not confirm reports that Oliver had a heart attack before the crash, but said it was "more than likely he has had a medical issue".

St John district operations manager Steve Yanko said an off-duty ambulance officer was first at the scene but Oliver was already dead.

The live wires meant ambulance staff were in danger and could not treat the boy or his grandfather until it was safe.

A resident said Oliver was picking up his grandson from nearby Huntley School.

Meanwhile, a motorcyclist was seriously injured in a head-on collision with another bike on the Waiau bridge in north Canterbury at about 3.50pm yesterday.

And three people were seriously injured after a car rolled into a ditch on Hauraki Rd, near Thames, about 4.30pm.

Ambulance staff said all three were in a serious condition.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY