One dead in Napier crash: Five deaths in four days after ‘vehicle incident’

One person died on Friday evening, December 27, after a serious vehicle incident on Nuffield Ave in Marewa, Napier.

Five people have died on New Zealand roads over four days after a “vehicle incident” in Napier overnight.

The incident, on Nuffield Ave in Marewa, was reported to police at 9pm on Friday.

Emergency services rushed to the scene, where one person was found in critical condition.

“Efforts to resuscitate the man were unsuccessful and he died at the scene,” said a police spokesperson.

The road was blocked overnight but has since reopened.

The Serious Crash Unit conducted a scene examination. Inquiries are ongoing.

It is not yet clear if this fatality will be involved in the official holiday road toll, which yesterday stood at four.

One person died on Friday evening following a serious vehicle incident on Nuffield Ave in Marewa, Napier.

The Ministry of Transport has been approached for confirmation.

The holiday road toll period began on December 24.

On Christmas Eve, a motorcyclist died in a crash involving a car in Parkvale, Tauranga. Later that evening, shortly after 10pm, another person died at the scene of a single-vehicle crash in Pah Hill Rd in the Auckland suburb of Wharehine. On Boxing Day, a third fatality occurred, on SH35 near Te Araroa north of Gisborne.

And yesterday, one person died and four others suffered minor injuries after a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 25 between Thames and Coromandel, shortly before 9am.

The road stayed closed for several hours.

Police said that over the Christmas period last year 21 people died in road crashes.

“Road safety partners aim not to have a repeat of that figure this year.”

Katie Oliver is a Christchurch-based Multimedia Journalist and breaking news reporter.