Man dies in head-on collision

Police and emergency workers at the crash scene. Photo / Tracey Robinson

A 39-year-old man was killed and a family of four hospitalised after a two-car collision in the Bay of Plenty last night.

The smash occurred just after 5pm on State Highway 33 between Maniatutu Rd and Paengaroa.

Witnesses said a white Mazda stationwagon towing a boat and a red Mitsubishi crashed head-on.

Senior Sergeant Dennis Murphy of Rotorua police said the injured - two adults and two children - were travelling in the stationwagon and taken to Rotorua Hospital with moderate injuries. The dead man was from Tauranga. Murphy said his name would not be released until next of kin had been informed.

Murphy said the crash was being investigated by the serious crash unit but it appeared the dead man was driving from Te Puke when he collided with the station wagon heading towards Rotorua.

Murphy said rain and speed may have been factors.

"Clearly you need to drive to the conditions. It would appear that the Mitsubishi was travelling too fast for the conditions."