Pair critical after Te Awamutu crash

A man and a woman were critically injured and a baby escaped unscathed after two vehicles collided north of Te Awamutu, in Waikato, this afternoon.

Waikato police said the accident, involving a Mitsubishi utility and a Nissan Navara, occurred north of the intersection of State Highway 3 and Te Rahu Road, about 3.18pm.

The male driver, 49, was cut out of the Navara by firefighters and taken to Waikato Hospital suffering multiple leg, chest and head fractures.

The 31-year-old woman driver of the Mitsubishi, who was also trapped in her vehicle, suffered multiple fractures and a head injury. They were both reported to be in a critical condition tonight

A one-year-old girl, travelling in the woman's car, was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure but she escaped injury due to being secured in a car seat, police said.

Police said it was too early to determine the cause of the crash.

SH3 was closed for more than two hours after the accident for a preliminary crash investigation.

- NZPA