Woman critical after four-car smash

An Auckland woman is in critical condition after she was thrown through a car window in a four-car crash that also injured two police officers.

The crash happened on the Auckland motorway about 11.15pm yesterday, northern police communications Inspector Jacqueline Whittaker said.

Police had pulled over a vehicle on the shoulder of the motorway heading south between the Tristram Avenue on-ramps and off-ramps, when two vehicles approaching the patrol car collided.

Ms Whittaker said the collision caused one vehicle to spin several times, in the process throwing a female passenger through a window.

The second vehicle lost control and collided with the parked police car, which then turned and collided with the already pulled-over car.

Two police officers received broken ankles in the accident, with one still in hospital awaiting surgery.

The woman thrown from the car was in a critical condition in hospital, while the driver of the vehicle that collided with the police car received moderate injuries.

Police were still investigating the accident.

- NZPA