Fatal crash driver was 13, police say

File photo / Hawkes Bay Today

The driver of a Toyota Hilux which crashed in northern Hawkes Bay yesterday killing a 17-year-old woman was a 13-year-old boy, say police.

Mary-Lee Huata was travelling home from a wedding after-party at a nearby marae when the Toyota Hilux truck she was a passenger in was involved in a collision on Putere Road, Raupunga, 7km south of Wairoa about 5.30am. Her death took the holiday road toll to three.

A 13-year-old Napier boy had been identified as the driver after he came forward to police last night, Sergeant Matt King said.

Police had spoken to the boy about the crash and he would be referred to the police youth aid section for follow up, Mr King said.

Four other occupants were treated for non life-threatening injuries at Wairoa Hospital.

One person remains in a critical condition after a multi-vehicle pile up in Hawke's Bay yesterday afternoon put 12 people in hospital. A truck and three cars were involved in the crash, which happened on State Highway 2, just north of Otane, 35km southwest of Hastings, about 5.15pm.

"It was a scene of carnage with injured people and smashed cars strewn along the highway. Members of the public and emergency services were stretched to deal with the injured and additional staff had to be called into the emergency department at Hastings Hospital to help cope with the number of patients," Senior Sergeant Luke Shadbolt said.

A spokeswoman for Hawke's Bay Hospital said this morning that one person remained in a critical condition, three were in a serious condition, four were stable and four had been discharged.

Among those injured were three tourists from Italy, Germany and Uruguay.

An 18-year-old Hastings girl was also in a critical condition in Hawke's Bay Hospital after a single-vehicle crash in Te Mata Mangateretere Rd, Hastings, at 5.55am yesterday.

Police earlier reported that they had found the driver of a car they believe may have been racing with a car driven by a 44-year-old woman which crashed killing her near Dunedin on Christmas Eve.

Gayle Jean Anderson's car slammed into a power pole on Bush Road, about 15km from Dunedin, at 9.30pm on Friday.

A Mosgiel man, who owned a dark blue 2001 Subaru Impreza, which police believe was racing or following the car driven by Ms Anderson, came forward to police yesterday, Senior Sergeant Brian Benn said.

The man was known to Ms Anderson.

Mr Benn said police still wanted to hear from anyone who had seen the Subaru and Ms Anderson's silver 1992 Honda Prelude in the area between 4pm and 10pm.

Police in Counties Manukau are still investigating a hit and run which left a 40-year-old man dead just minutes into Christmas Day.

Vineshwar Singh was hit by a car on Helvetia Road in Pukekohe, south Auckland, and died a short time later. The car immediately left the scene.

The official holiday road toll started at 4pm on Christmas Eve and runs until 6am on January 5. Last year 13 people died on the road during the holiday period.

- NZPA