It was the second fatal crash in two days after a person died in a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 25 at Tāpapa on April 4.
Police were called to the two-vehicle crash about 6am and the highway was closed for several hours.
Police would like to speak to anyone who witnessed this crash, or has dashcam footage of a silver Ford Ranger ute and a green Toyota Vitz travelling along SH5 around 6am.
On March 31, Rotorua resident Kiefer Bryers, 27, of Koutu, was killed after a crash south of Rotorua on SH5 at the intersection with Waipā State Mill Rd.