Four family members in crash still serious

Four members of the same family who survived a fatal crash in Manawatu on Saturday remain in hospital today with serious injuries.

Joanne Bowler, 52, was killed when she lost control of her Ford Mondeo on a bend at Bunnythorpe, north of Palmerston North, about 2pm and crashed into a house.

A woman and three children survived the crash, but all were left with serious injuries.

Police said today a 20-year-old woman remains critically ill in Wellington Hospital, while a six-year-old boy was critical but stable in Starship Children's Hospital in Auckland.

A nine-year-old boy is also in Starship in a stable condition while a three-year-old girl is stable in Palmerston North Hospital.

All five in the car were from the same family and lived in the Feilding area.

The crash is being investigated and police want to hear from witnesses.

Police are also investigating a motorcycle crash which claimed the life of Alexandra woman, Natalie Joy Anderson, 42, on Saturday.

Mrs Anderson was the pillion passenger on her husband Murray Anderson's motorcycle which crashed on State Highway 6, 25km of Wanaka about midday.

The couple were taking part in an annual rally commemorating Mr Anderson's brother, Donald, who, along with their father, Graham, was killed in a plane crash in 1995, the Otago Daily Times reported.

Police said the motorcycle appeared to have run off the road and into gravel before hitting a bank.

Married for 20 years, the couple have two teenage children.

A third fatal crash at the weekend happened in Central Hawke's Bay early on Saturday when Benjamin Thompson, 24, of Takapau, lost control of his car on SH2 near Waipukurau about 2.30am.

Police said initial investigations indicated speed and failure to wear a seatbelt were factors in the death.

Mr Thompson was thrown from the car as it crashed and found dead at the scene.

Police were yet to determine whether alcohol was a factor and wanted to hear from anyone who had seen the blue and grey Subaru stationwagon driving west from Waipukurau towards Takapau before the crash.

- NZPA