25 Dec 2015

One dead after fatal crash on SH1

9:22 pm on 25 December 2015

The Christmas road toll stands at one, after a fatal crash on State Highway One in Northland this evening.

Police car at a check point in Mana, Wellington.

Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson

One person has died and three others have been injured in a three-car crash near Whangarei at 6.45pm.

Emergency services are at the scene near Oakleigh after the crash.

State Highway One is closed around Oakleigh and traffic is being diverted.

Police said the serious crash unit will be investigating.

There have been dozens of crashes in the past 24 hours, but just the one fatal accident.

A person is in a critical condition after a serious crash on a major Rotorua route this afternoon.

Two cars collided on Ngongotaha Road about 4.30pm. The driver of one car had to be freed before being taken to Rotorua Hospital with critical injuries, but is now in a stable condition.

The front seat passanger suffered serious injuries and the driver of the other car also suffered a serious arm injury.

And a crash in Upper Hutt has seen a fallen power pole bring down powerlines on the road.

A car with four people inside collided into the pole on Main Road North at about 7.45pm.

Police said occupants are not seriously injured. They are investigating what caused the crash but said alcohol was believed to be involved.

The road will remain closed for a considerable period of time and detours were being put in place.