KEY POINTS:
A person died in a car crash in rural Waikato this afternoon.
The driver died after smashing into a van at Te Poi, between Matamata and Putaruru, about 2.30pm.
It was believed the driver lost control of the vehicle after running over police spike strips laid across the road, following a chase through the Waikato backblocks.
Firefighters were called to cut the driver's body from the wreckage of the car.
A 15-year-old girl, who was riding in the front seat of the car, was flown to Waikato Hospital by Waikato air ambulance with a fractured femur.
The driver of the van, though not seriously injured, was also taken to Waikato Hospital for observation.
- NZPA
