Another young man, who Howe previously described as being "best of buddies" with Rolleston was also hurt in the crash, however not seriously.
It was not yet confirmed who had been driving.
Rolleston's breakout performance in Taika Waititi's 2010 movie Boy kicked off his career as an actor.
He also appeared alongside Cliff Curtis in the widely-acclaimed 2014 movie The Dark Horse.
Earlier this week it was revealed a movie based on the Maori love song Pokarekare Ana had been put on hold after Rolleston's crash.
The actor was set to be the male lead of the production.
Pokarekare Ana: Yeon-Ga is set in the midst of the Korean War and centres around the love story between a troubled Maori soldier and a young South Korean woman.