A Far North man who suffered severe leg injuries when his car smashed into mangroves remains in a serious condition in hospital in Auckland. The crash occurred about 7.30pm on Tuesday on Puketona Rd, about 1km east of Haruru Falls.
The driver and sole occupant had been heading towards Paihia when he lost control at the bottom of the hill near Kaipatiki Rd, veered off the road and crashed into the mangroves.
Sergeant Ross Laurie, of Mid North police, said the 49-year-old man from the Kaeo area suffered serious injuries to his right leg.
He was extricated from the wreckage by volunteers from Paihia Fire Brigade then flown to Whangarei Hospital by the Northland Rescue Helicopter, which landed on the highway.
His condition was initially described as serious but later deteriorated to critical. A witness described seeing the car travelling at high speed on the wrong side of the road shortly before the crash.
Speed, alcohol and "driver's licence issues" were all thought to be factors.
The highway was closed for almost two hours.
On Wednesday the man was transferred by air to Middlemore Hospital in Auckland, where a spokeswoman said he was yesterday in a serious but stable condition in the high-dependency unit.
Another witness told the Advocate the impact left a tree embedded in the engine.
The tree was so firmly wedged into the car that firefighters' attempts to free the vehicle led only to a broken strop.
The car broke into two pieces when a tow truck finally managed to pull it out of the mangroves.
It is understood the 49-year-old was a disqualified driver.