A courier driver injured in a crash that killed two roaming horses on a darkened highway near Hastings early yesterday was last night in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
A third horse was later euthanised.
The man, in his 40s, was travelling towards Hastings in a 100km/h zone, approaching the Taihape Rd settlement of Omahu and about 1.5km from the intersection with State Highway 50, when the crash happened about 4.10am.
Hastings Fire Service senior station officer Mike Manning said two appliances and crews went to the scene, where it was pitch-dark. The driver was trapped in the van and two of the horses were dead beside the vehicle.
Officers worked for about 25 minutes to stabilise the man before extricating him, after which he was taken by St John Ambulance to hospital about 9km away.
Hawke's Bay District Health Board staff said early last night the driver was in a serious but stable condition in the High Dependency Unit at Hawke's Bay Hospital in Hastings.