String of North Island car crashes leave two dead, four injured

The scene of the Waikato crash last night. Photo / Daniel Hines

There have been a string of car accidents around the North Island overnight and this morning.

A pedestrian has died near Tauranga, one man was found dead in his car near Palmerston North and four people were injured in a head-on collision in south Waikato.

State Highway 2 has been closed at Te Puna after the death of a man north of Tauranga.

A New Zealand Transport Agency spokeswoman said there was heavy congestion in the area near Ainsworth Rd as people made their way to work but detours were in place.

Traffic travelling between Tauranga and Katikati were being diverted down Snodgrass Rd, Borrell Rd, and Te Puna Rd.

She confirmed a pedestrian had died at the scene and the road closure was expected to last at least a couple of hours.

A witness at the scene near Te Puna Quarry Rd said traffic had slowed as a man attempted to perform CPR on a man lying in the middle of the road about 7.20am.

Construction workers in the area managed traffic while waiting for emergency services to arrive, she said.

The witness said the man appeared to be older, with greying hair.

- Bay of Plenty Times staff

Man found dead in car lying in ditch

A man has died after a car crashed into a ditch near Palmerston North this morning.

A member of the public phoned emergency services around 7.45am after spotting a vehicle down a ditch on State Highway 3, north of Bulls, police said.

Officers inspected the scene, and found a male driver inside the car.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

He was the only occupant.

Early indications suggest the vehicle veered off the road and crashed down the ditch, police said.

The serious crash unit was investigating.

No diversions were in place this morning, but motorists were warned to take care if travelling on SH3.

Four injured in head-on Waikato smash

Four people were injured, one critically, in a head-on collision in south Waikato last night.

The drivers of both cars were initially trapped inside their vehicles after the crash on State Highway 1 at Piarere, around 7km from Tirau, at about 11.30pm.

Both drivers were considered to have serious injuries and were in a critical condition, police said.

One was airlifted to Waikato Hospital, while the other was taken by ambulance.

Two other people were said to have suffered moderate injuries.

Following the collision, partial road closures were in place for a time.

The serious crash unit are investigating.

A 21-year-old man was in a critical condition in an intensive care unit this morning, a Waikato Hospital spokesperson said.

While a 24-year-old man was in a serious but stable condition in a high dependency unit.

Two others injured in the collision were treated in the emergency department and discharged.