A series of car crashes across the North Island over the past 24 hours has resulted in one fatality, several serious injuries, and multiple arrests, as authorities continue to address the dangers of fleeing drivers.
In Auckland’s Waterview Tunnel on the Southwestern Motorway, a motorcyclist riding in the wrong direction crashed after a high-speed escape attempt.
Police attempted to stop the motorcycle northbound near Walmsley around 2:30 p.m., but the rider fled, prompting police to block the tunnel’s northern end. The rider sped back into the tunnel, eventually colliding with a police vehicle. The motorcyclist was taken to hospital in serious condition, while the tunnel faced delays until reopened.
Earlier in the day in Napier, a man was arrested after a serious crash in Onekawa, where a vehicle reportedly rolled several times before colliding with another car near Taradale and Riverbend Roads. One person sustained critical injuries and was taken to the hospital. The 31-year-old driver faces charges including unlawful vehicle taking and reckless driving and is due in Napier District Court on November 1.
The most serious of the three incidents occurred in Rotorua, where a driver attempting to evade police was killed in a collision on Vaughan Road.
Police had attempted to stop the vehicle on Haupapa Street around 11:30 a.m., but the driver fled, resulting in a crash with another car.
The fleeing driver was pronounced dead at the scene, while a passenger sustained minor injuries. Two people in the other vehicle received moderate injuries and were transported to Rotorua Hospital. Police closed the road for a Serious Crash Unit investigation.
The Auckland and Rotorua incidents have been referred to the Independent Police Conduct Authority. Police are urging witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage of the Rotorua crash to provide information online or at 105.
I hope they interview the tunnel motorcyclist. I’d love to know what it’s like being a rocket scientist