Driver in fatal Hamilton crash likely to have suffered medical event

Ambrose Hughes, 54, was a big Chiefs fan. Photo/Facebook

A 54-year-old man who died after his car and a bus collided is likely to have suffered a medical event before the crash, police say.

Ambrose Matthew Hughes was the driver of a car which smashed into a bus on the edge of the Anzac Parade Bridge in Hamilton on Saturday.

Police today confirmed that while the cause of the crash is to be confirmed by the coroner, "it's believed he may have suffered a medical event prior to the crash".

The incident is still being investigated by the Serious Crash Unit.

Friends have told the Herald Hughes and his grandson had just attended a Pacific Island festival at the nearby Claudelands Arena when the crash occurred. He was also a big Chiefs fan.

Hamilton man Nostalgia Tairua-Bracken, 17, was going for a walk during a break at work about 2pm when he heard car tyres screeching and a loud bang.

As he walked further, he saw a bus appeared to have swerved but was unsuccessful in avoiding a car.

"That's when I saw the bus all smashed up and the car had a wheel missing from it. A wheel had fallen off and by then there were sirens and stuff and the man got pulled out on to a stretcher and they started resuscitation."

Tairua-Bracken was saddened to hear Hughes died at the scene after emergency services performed CPR for about 40 minutes.

A young boy, who had been in the passenger seat, was sitting on the kerb, clearly in shock.

"It's not good at all. I was a bit shocked after he didn't wake up. I just remember seeing them pushing on his chest. I was just waiting for him to wake up but he didn't.

"It's really freaky. It's the first time I've ever seen that."