Motorcyclist found dead by father and flatmate

A teenager has died after his motorbike left the road near Hamilton, last night.

The alarm was raised when the 17 year-old did not return home to his Hamilton flat by his usual time of 10pm.

The teen's father and flatmate went looking for him on the roads between Morrinsville and his flat and found his body in Newstead at about 12.30am.

Police spokesman Andrew McAlley said police were called to the scene by the teenager's father.

He said early indications suggested the teenager failed to negotiate a bend, crossed the shoulder of the road and ended up in a ditch where he crashed into a power pole.

Mr McAlley said no other vehicle was believed to have been involved in the crash.

The police serious crash unit is investigating the cause of the crash.

Mr McAlley said the death took the Waikato death toll to 22, compared with 16 at the same point last year.

- NZHERALD STAFF