Girl dies in horror highway car crash

The crash scene north of Helensville. A 12-year-old girl died in the accident and another, aged 8, is in a serious condition in hospital. Photo / Doug Sherring

Motorists arriving on the scene of a horror road smash north of Auckland yesterday rushed to comfort two critically injured young girls.

Two cars collided head-on on Kaipara Coast Highway, 2km north of Helensville, about 10.30am. Sisters aged 12 and 8, believed to be Kaukapakapa School pupils, were cut from the wreck of their family car before being flown to hospital.

Last night, the 12-year-old died in Starship Hospital. She had suffered traumatic brain injuries and broken bones in the crash.

The younger girl had lacerations, possible internal injuries and broken bones and was in intensive care.

Helensville fire officer Mark Anderson said they had to cut both doors and the roof off the crumpled car to free the girls and their mother, who was driving.

A heavily pregnant woman and her partner were in the oncoming car, but they escaped serious injury.

Kaukapakapa School principal Tony Westrupp had seven netball coaches frantically ringing players' parents last night trying to identify the family. "I believe they were wearing their school netball uniforms."

Julie Kingi, 34, was first to arrive at the scene while travelling home from the supermarket. "I directed traffic, called 111. It was hard to judge [who they were] with the blood, the adrenaline and shock," Kingi said.

"She [the 12-year-old] only had a little skirt and top on ... I grabbed Swanndris and covered her up."

She said one of the young girls was crying hysterically. The mother was calm, though in a state of shock, and was in a stable condition last night.

Shortly after the crash, Waitoki woman Anne Scott arrived and comforted the eldest girl by holding her head. A pomeranian dog in the back seat with the younger girl was taken to Helensville veterinary clinic with serious injuries.

A horror week on the roads was compounded late last night, when a car crashed into a power pole in New Plymouth, seriously injuring three occupants.

They were cut from the car and taken to Taranaki Hospital, said ambulance communications team manager David Ross. One occupant was in a critical condition.

Earlier, two Aucklanders had escaped serious injury when their Nissan Primera collided with a rubbish collection truck in Beach Rd in the central city yesterday morning.

Police Inspector Chris Robinson said a female passenger in the back seat of the Primera was hurled forward by the collision. She was not wearing a seatbelt.

She was admitted to Auckland City Hospital with suspected serious spinal injuries but later found to have only minor chest pains.