Man in fatal crash named

Waikato police say they had called off the pursuit of a car driver before he collided with a van and was killed yesterday.

Police today named the dead man as Israel Maki Tane Porter, 27, of Gordonton, north of Hamilton.

The chase began after the driver of a Mazda 323 was seen weaving in and out of traffic at speeds in excess of 100km/h north of Hamilton yesterday afternoon.

But Inspector Leo Tooman said the pursuit lasted less than two minutes before the pursuing officer pulled out because he was worried about the driving manner of the offender.

He then saw a cloud of dust in the distance as the Mazda collided with the van at the intersection of Gordonton-Puketaha Road.

Mr Porter was dead when the officer reached the scene.

Six passengers in the van were taken to Waikato Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Police said that Mr Porter's death had been reported to the coroner and four investigations were underway into the circumstances leading up to and including the crash.

- NZPA