Police name three teens killed in car crash

Police have named three Invercargill teenagers killed in a car crash early today.

The car's driver, Jesse William Langeveld, 19, and passengers Tyler James Parry, 16, and Ethan James Peek, 16, were killed when the modified Honda Civic they were in crashed into the side of a commercial building on Leven Street at 12.35am.

A fourth male, also 16, remained in a serious condition at Southland Hospital this afternoon.

Senior Sergeant Richard McPhail said an area of about a block from where the car crashed was cordoned off this morning while emergency services freed the occupants and tried to establish what happened.

"Certainly it appears that speed is a factor, but all the factors will be assessed by serious crash investigators on site and there is an inquiry team including criminal investigators looking at this," he told NZPA.

"We are aware from our inquiries that it was travelling at speed north."

The car was extensively damaged in the crash.

Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt told Radio New Zealand he thought an education campaign on boy racers from the local youth council was getting through - until last night's crash.

Locals had been getting sick of boy racers and had been "dobbing them in", while the redesign of the city, with narrow streets and garden plots, had also helped.

"We really thought we had it under control," he said.

Police were urging anyone who saw a car fitting the description in the area around midnight to contact them.

- NZPA