73-year-old motorcycle crash victim Ian Johnson dies in hospital, investigation ongoing

Ian Johnson has died in Wellington Hospital nearly three weeks after the 73-year-old was in motorbike crash in Hastings. Photo / NZME

Ian Charles Johnson, a 73-year-old man, has died in hospital nearly three weeks after a motorbike collision in Hastings which is the subject of an ongoing police investigation.

The crash took place between a vehicle and a motorbike on St Aubyn St East on the morning of June 13.

The vehicle had reportedly left the scene but a police spokesperson confirmed in a statement on June 26 that a driver had been identified and that the vehicle and motorbike had both been seized for examination.

Mr Johnson was transferred from Hawke’s Bay Hospital to Wellington in a critical condition on the week of the crash.

His condition was updated to serious while he was there and he remained in a serious condition for days after the incident according to updates from Te Whatu Ora - Capital and Coast.

Police confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that the motorcyclist died from his injuries on Saturday, July 1 and released his name on Wednesday.

The statement said the motorbike and vehicle involved in the crash had been examined and inquiries were ongoing.

“If you witnessed the crash and haven’t reported it to Police yet please contact 105 and quote number 230613/5702,” the statement said.

According to provisional data from NZ Police collated by the Ministry of Transport, there have been five deaths on Hawke’s Bay roads so far this year.

At the same time last year, there had been four deaths on Hawke’s Bay roads and the 2022 year ended with 13 deaths on Hawke’s Bay roads provisionally.