Hokitika teenager killed in crash

File photo / NZ Herald

A Hokitika teenager died early today when his car smashed into a concrete power pole near the West Coast town.

Peter Wayne Gleeson, 17, died at the scene.

His passenger, another 17-year-old youth, was flown to Grey Base Hospital about 2am.

The survivor was in a critical but stable condition and was transferred to Christchurch Hospital this morning.

Hokitika Volunteer Fire Brigade used the jaws of life to cut them from the wreckage.

Senior sergeant Tim Crawford said the car, driven by Mr Gleeson, veered off the left-hand side of the road and struck a power pole, knocking it down.

The accident happened about 1am and power was cut in the Hokitika Valley for a time.

Mr Crawford said a scene examination was under way and would give police a better idea of what happened.

"Speed is possibly a factor, and it is unknown at this point whether alcohol was a contributing factor," Mr Crawford said. Road conditions at the time were wet, but not icy.

Friends of the pair later paid a tearful visit to the crash scene as news of the fatality emerged.