The deadly crash on Auckland's Southwestern Motorway yesterday. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Police have released the name of a man killed when his truck crashed on an Auckland motorway yesterday afternoon.
Rawhiti Hita, 70, of Ponsonby, died when his rubbish truck crashed on the Southwestern Motorway about 4.30pm.
Police were investigating the crash and said it would be at least several weeks before any definitive cause was known.
The rubbish truck travelling south lost control and rolled several times, spreading debris over north- and south-bound lanes between the Dominion Rd on-ramp and Hillsborough Rd off-ramp.
The driver was thrown from the Green Gorilla truck's cab when he crashed, and died at the scene.
Mr Hita's death was one of four in less than 24 hours in the North Island.
A 27-year-old woman died overnight after her car and a fuel tanker collided head-on on State Highway 3, north of Midhirst.
Police said the woman died at the scene of the crash, which happened just after 3am.
The tanker driver was taken to Taranaki Hospital with shock.
Police said the highway would be closed for several hours today.
Yesterday, a 13-year-old girl was killed when two vehicles crashed on State Highway 1, north of Wellington.
The two male drivers of the vehicles were taken to Palmerston North Hospital with serious injuries.
A male motorcyclist in his late 20s died when his bike and a truck collided at Mangakino, south of Hamilton, about 2.30pm yesterday.
Emergency services rushed to the scene just after 2am.