Dirt bike rider critically injured in Flaxmere crash, second serious motorbike crash in Hawke’s Bay in 24 hours

A dirt bike rider was critically injured in a crash on Flaxmere Ave on Saturday, police say.

Police say a dirt biker was critically injured in a collision with a car on one of the main streets running through a Hawke’s Bay suburb on Saturday.

It was the second serious motorcycle crash in the region within 24 hours.

A police spokeswoman said they were called to the two-vehicle crash on Flaxmere Ave in Flaxmere around 11.25am and found a rider with critical injuries.

The road was blocked for a time, and open to one lane as of 2pm. The Serious Crash Unit was present at the scene, with cones laid along the road at the place of impact.

On Sunday, the 30-year-old man remained in a critical but stable condition in the ICU at Hawke’s Bay Hospital.

Earlier, another motorbike rider was critically injured in a crash near Maraekakaho.

A Hato Hone St John spokesman said they responded to reports of a crash on State Highway 50 at 1.42pm on Friday with one rapid-response vehicle, one ambulance and one helicopter. The road was closed for several hours between Kererū Road and Butler Road.

One male was transported to Hawke’s Bay Hospital in a critical condition and then transferred to Christchurch Hospital. An update on his condition was not immediately available on Sunday.