Second man dies after horror crash near Ohaeawai

Flowers at the scene of Friday night's double fatal crash on SH1 north of Ohaeawai.

Failing to wear seatbelts has cost another two people their lives, according to Northland police and firefighters called out to a horror crash.

One man died at the scene of the crash, on State Highway 1 north of Ohaeawai about 10.20pm on Friday, while a second died later in hospital.

Both were thrown from a twin-cab ute when it rolled after a collision with another ute at the junction with Bulman Rd.

The impact rolled one of the two utes involved and ejected two passengers, one of whom died at the scene, the other later in Auckland Hospital. Photo / Supplied

They were Colin Risetto-Blade, 28, who had just returned to Auckland about 10 days earlier after living in Australia, and Zion Harris-Davis, 23, from Auckland but with family links to Kaeo.

It is understood the group was returning from a hunting trip at the time of the crash. Two dogs in the back of the ute are still missing.

The double fatality brings Northland's road toll for the year to date to 14.

According to the police Serious Crash Unit the accident occurred when a Nissan ute turning right out of Bulman Rd and a Toyota ute travelling south on SH1 collided.

Two of the five people in the Toyota were thrown from the vehicle when it rolled. One was dead when emergency services arrived while the other was airlifted to Auckland Hospital and died during the weekend.

A teenage boy in the Toyota suffered a hand injury while all other involved were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Police believe a third vehicle travelling north on SH1 may have been involved in the accident and are keen to hear from anyone who saw the crash or arrived at the scene shortly afterwards. Call the Kaikohe station on (09) 405 2960 with any information.

Senior Sergeant Ian Row, second in charge of Northland road policing, attended the crash as a member of the Kaikohe Volunteer Fire Brigade.

"Categorically they would be alive today if they had been wearing seatbelts. That's a definite, they'd have survived," Mr Row said.

He said the other three passengers were walking and talking on the side of the road.
"We should have had five people standing on the side of the road, annoyed that there was an accident, not two people dead."

"The two deceased were ejected from the vehicle and that doesn't happen with seatbelts. If they had not been ejected they would not have died."