KEY POINTS:
A head-on collision on a Rotorua highway has killed a man and a baby and seriously injured two women and a child.
The 43-year-old Whakamaru man and a 4-month old baby died on State Highway 30, about 4km west of Hemo Gorge at 9.30am yesterday.
His female passenger was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
The man was travelling in the east-bound lane when an oncoming car apparently crossed the centre line and ploughed into his car.
The baby boy from Rotorua, in the back seat of the westbound vehicle, also died at the scene, and a 16-month-old child riding beside him was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
The 22-year-old woman driver of the westbound car was taken to Rotorua Hospital in critical condition and was later transferred to Waikato Hospital.
Acting Senior Sergeant Brett Cooper said SH30 was closed for about 3 1/2 hours while emergency services dealt with the scene. He said the cause of the crash was unknown and police investigations were continuing.
Police yesterday named the victim of a head on-crash southwest of Te Kuiti on Tuesday.
Kathleen Hinemoa Harris, 62, of Auckland, was the front-seat passenger in a Nissan sedan that collided with a northbound Holden stationwagon on SH3 near Mahoenui about 2.30pm.
The driver and rear seat passenger in the Nissan were taken to Waikato Hospital with moderate injuries while the driver of the Holden received minor injuries.
- NZPA
