Motorcyclist killed in collision

A young man was killed in a head-on collision between a motorcycle and a car just outside of Opotiki in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Opotiki police were called to the crash at 5am, just past the Baird Rd intersection on SH2, 1.5km west of Opotiki.

The man has been identified as a 21-year-old farmer who lived and worked locally. The two people who were in the car were uninjured.

Opotiki police said anyone with information about the crash should contact them on (07) 3151110.

The accident was the 10th crash on Eastern Bay roads this year, six of which involved alcohol.

It was also the third crash where a motorcyclist was killed.

In October, Kenneth Robert Moutere, 25, was killed in an accident on SH2 near Kutarere.

He had been drinking alcohol before leaving a house on his motorcycle without a helmet and crashed soon after.

Police said people at the house tried to stop him from riding the motorcycle.

In September, Tutapiriao Vercoe, 36, had been riding a motorcycle at night south of Taneatua and was found dead in a ditch by an off-duty fire service officer.