Waihi crash victims named

Three people died in a horror crash south of Waihi last night. File photo / NZ Herald

Police have named three people killed in a fatal crash north of Tauranga yesterday that also left two teenage boys critically injured.

They were 17-year-old Dylan Perkinson of Waihi, 16-year-old Vance Williams of Waihi Beach and 44-year-old father of three Mark August Sydney of Waihi Beach.

Dylan had been driving a Subaru legacy which appeared to have crossed the centreline into the path of another vehicle on State Highway 2 just south of Waihi, about 11.45pm yesterday, police said.

Vance had been the front seat passenger.

The two other boys in the car, aged 16 and 17, were in Waikato Hospital's intensive Care Unit.

The 16-year-old was tonight in a critical but stable condition and the 17-year-old was serious but stable, hospital spokeswoman Mary Anne Gill said.

Waikato road policing manager, Inspector Leo Tooman, said the loss of the men was all the more tragic given it appeared the crash was avoidable.

"Initial analysis of the scene indicates, alcohol, speed, driver inexperience and a failure to drive to the conditions were all contributing factors in an event that has left at three families devastated and another three dealing with the injuries of loved ones."

Dylan was carrying passengers - in breach of his restricted license, Waihi sergeant Dave Litton said.

"The vehicle with the teenagers in it appears to have lost control and the other vehicle has collided head-on cutting the vehicle with the teenagers in half."

The teenagers who died did not appear to be wearing seatbelts and had been thrown from the car, he said.

"It was like a war zone upon arrival. One of the worst (crashes) I've ever seen," Mr Litton told NZPA.

He described the crash as "an avoidable tragedy that is going to affect the whole of the Waihi Beach with all those involved coming from there and all active in the local community".

A 22-year-old Mt Roskill woman driving a third vehicle involved in the crash suffered minor injuries and had been released from Waikato hospital.

- NZPA