Taradale crash witnesses sought after death of cyclist

Police have confirmed the death of a cyclist who was injured in a collision with a vehicle in Taradale during the weekend.

Police have released the name of a cyclist who was injured and later died after a collision with a vehicle in Taradale on Sunday.

He was 84-year old Joseph Kelly, from Napier.

Thought to be the first road toll fatality from an incident on Hawke’s Bay roads in over three months, the cyclist died in hospital on Wednesday morning, police said.

They are seeking witnesses to the incident which happened at the intersection of Church and Neeve roads, Taradale, about 10.55am on Sunday.

A statement said Police would like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time and witnessed the crash, or anyone who may have dashcam footage. Information can be provided to Police by calling 105, or online at 105.police.govt.nz using “Update Report” and referencing the file number 240721/6602.

With three fatalities reported throughout the country on Wednesday and Thursday, the provisional nationwide road toll this year was 153 by mid-afternoon Thursday, the lowest at that stage of the year for about a decade.

There had been 11 fatalities in July, with six days to the end of the month. The 12 recorded in April 2012 is the lowest monthly toll in the almost 60 years since comparable statistics were first recorded.