A fatal truck accident in Northland yesterday almost became deadly for emergency services personnel when a driver smashed through their protective road block.
Whatarau Victor Paewhenua, 37, of Kaikohe, was killed when the truck he was driving rolled on a corner near Pakaraka on State Highway One east of Kaikohe about 12.50 am.
The truck came to rest across both sides of the road and kept the highway closed for about 10 hours while the scene was cleared and police investigated.
Sergeant Ken Climo of Kaikohe said firefighters, ambulance staff and police were working at the accident scene about 3.20 am, inside a protective cordon of road cones, when a stolen car crashed through the barrier and nearly hit a firefighter.
"He came through the road closure at 100-plus km an hour."
A 20-year-old Kaikohe man faced charges of drink driving, theft of a motor vehicle and dangerous driving.
Driver smashes into accident scene
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.