Easter road toll rises to six after motorist dies in Ōtaki

By RNZ

The Easter road toll has climbed to six after a fatal crash in Ōtaki on the Kāpiti Coast.

Emergency services were called after a car hit a power pole in Tasman Rd just after 8.30pm yesterday.

The driver, who was alone in the vehicle, was taken to a hospital in a critical condition but died later from their injuries.

Police are investigating and the Serious Crash Unit has been informed.

A male pedestrian also died last night after a bus crash in Taranaki St in central Wellington.

Police were alerted to the incident just before 10pm.

The bus driver was not injured.

A motorbike and a car collided on State Highway 38 at Waimangu in Bay of Plenty around 11am yesterday, killing one person and injuring another.

Also in Bay of Plenty, a two-vehicle crash in Whakamaru about midday on Good Friday claimed the life of the driver and set a vehicle on fire.

In Waikato, a person died and three others suffered moderate injuries when a truck and car collided in Kaihere about 8pm on Thursday night.

An hour and a half later, a person was killed in a crash on State Highway 2 at Mangatāwhiri, north of Hamilton.

The official Easter holiday period began at 4pm on Thursday and ends at 6am on Tuesday.

There were no deaths on the roads during the Easter period last year.

- RNZ