Child injured in crash on Ti Rakau Dr, east Auckland; one car was 'pink-stickered', says witness

One of two cars involved in a serious crash in Auckland - leaving a child and two others seriously hurt - is understood to have been "pink-stickered" and should not have been on the road, a witness says.

Three people were injured - two seriously and one moderately - after the two-car crash on Ti Rakau Dr in Pakuranga about 9.25am on Sunday.

One of the cars, a Honda Civic, was left severed in two and the key Auckland road was closed as the Serious Crash Unit began investigating.

A crash witness said he believed the child involved was aged under 10 and had received significant, life-threatening injuries.

The child is believed to have been a passenger in a BMW and had to be cut from the vehicle.

The driver of the second vehicle, the Honda Civic, is believed to have been thrown from the vehicle.

The witness said he understood one of the vehicles - believed to be the Honda Civic - was "pink-stickered" some days before the crash.

A pink sticker, which directs that the vehicle is not to be driven on a road, may be issued to the driver or owner of a vehicle by an enforcement officer who believes on reasonable grounds that a vehicle is not in a safe condition to be driven on a road.

Traffic control and diversions are in place and motorists are asked to avoid the area. Photo / Supplied

A pink sticker remains in force until the vehicle has been inspected and a new WoF or CoF has been issued.

"It appears one vehicle has crossed the lanes and turned into a side road. It was hit side on, on the passenger side, and ripped in half," he said.

The witness believed speed was a significant factor.

Police would not confirm whether either of the vehicles involved was pink-stickered.

A police spokeswoman said they had been called to the two-car crash on Ti Rakau Dr, near the intersection of Edgewater Dr.

A St John spokesperson said three ambulances had attended the incident and treated three patients.

All three had initially been transported to Middlemore Hospital - two in a serious condition, while the third was in a moderate condition.

Ti Rakau Dr was closed in both directions. Traffic control and diversions are in place and motorists are asked to avoid the area.

Road users are being asked to use Gossamer Dr and Reeves Rd as a detour.

Another witness at the scene said police had begun scene examinations.

"It was obviously quite a serious crash between a late model BMW and what appears to be a small two-door [Honda] hatchback that looks to have split in half on impact," he said.

"The people in the BMW had their car windscreen cut off so they could get out of the car.

Ti Rakau Dr is blocked in both directions after the 9.25am incident. Photo / Supplied

"It looks like they've ... spun down the road and come to a stop on the grassy median strip.

"The [Honda] is right on the corner of Edgewater Dr and Ti Rakau, but the BMW is maybe 50m down Ti Rakau Dr."

One neighbour, who was asleep at the time, reported hearing a loud bang and thinking someone had hit his fence.

He then saw people trying to pull the occupants of the BMW out of the vehicle.

This was the second crash in east Auckland in 12 hours, with a fatal crash on Te Irirangi Dr in East Tamaki at 10.59pm last night.

One person was trapped and died a short time later, despite staff commencing CPR.

The Serious Crash Unit is investigating this incident.

Meanwhile, one person was seriously injured in a crash in the Whakatane District, around 3pm.

The person was initially trapped in their car when it crashed on Ngatimanawa Rd in Murupara.

A police spokeswoman said a St John ambulance crew was also at the scene helping the injured party.