Man killed falling from car

A young man has been killed after he fell from a car and it ran him over on a beach near Tauranga early this morning.

The 22-year-old local man had been riding on the outside of the car on Omanu beach in Mount Maunganui about 1am, Senior Sergeant Carl Purcell of Tauranga police said.

The driver of the car had been drinking and was charged with drink driving after he blew a reading of 446 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 400.

The 23-year-old man may face further charges, Mr Purcell said.

Meanwhile, a crash near Nelson last night left a 46-year-old bushman from Richmond dead.

Michael Sean Barclay was killed in the single vehicle crash on State Highway 6 in Clark Valley, about 80km southwest of Nelson, about 10pm.

Mr Barclay's southbound ute left the road and crashed down a bank before colliding with a large tree, Senior Sergeant Stu Koefoed, of Nelson police, said.

"Speed was clearly a factor in this crash as the vehicle was extensively damaged with the motor being thrown seven metres away from the vehicle, and the driver having to be cut from the wreckage.

"A passenger from the vehicle was thrown out during the crash and raised the alarm," Mr Koefoed said.

The passenger was in Nelson Hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.

- NZPA