Victim of West Auckland crash named

A 20-year-old passenger died and seven other young people were hurt when this vehicle rolled in Waitakere City. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The 20-year-old woman who died in a West Auckland crash has been named by police.

She was Jessie Patrick of Massey.

Seven people were injured when the vehicle they were in lost control and rolled on a bend on Te Henga Rd in West Auckland yesterday.

The 1990 Mazda "people-mover" wagon was travelling towards Bethells Beach when it hit a bank while rounding a corner on Te Henga Rd, near Swanson, about 2pm.

Police believe Ms Patrick was not wearing a seatbelt and was thrown partially out of the van. She died of head injuries at the scene.

Six other passengers and the driver were taken to North Shore, Waitakere or Auckland City hospitals.

Several bottles of alcopop were found inside the vehicle, and tests were done to ascertain if the 19-year-old male driver had been drinking.

All the passengers are believed to have been aged in their late teens or early 20s.

Police were later trying to establish if they had been wearing seatbelts.

Te Henga Rd was closed for several hours as the emergency services cleared the scene.

Inspector Scott Webb of Waitakere police said he arrived at the scene to find several people "standing around looking dazed and hurt".

Senior Constable Karl Bevin of the Waitemata serious crash unit said the accident highlighted the importance of wearing seatbelts.

Police said it was too early to say whether any charges would be laid in connection with the crash.

They said they would today continue working to establish what caused the accident.

Two people are in a stable condition in Auckland Hospital this morning while another three have been discharged from North Shore Hospital and one from Waitakere Hospital.