Crashes claim three in Hawkes Bay

Two people died in a head-on car crash on the expressway between Hastings and Napier early yesterday morning.

Stephen Roy Temperton, 18, of Hastings, and a 43-year-old Napier woman travelling in the other vehicle died at the scene. The road was closed for nearly 12 hours.

Inspector Kevin Kalff said six other people travelling in the vehicles were taken to Hawkes Bay Regional Hospital with moderate to critical injuries.

A third man died when the car he was driving crashed into a bridge and caught fire near Morrinsville on Saturday.