Holiday road toll rises to three: One person dies in Waikato crash

Emergency services are on the scene of a two-car crash in Waitomo. Photo / 123rf

One person has died after a two-car crash on State Highway Three in Waikato's Te Mapara.

Police say a person died at the scene of the two-vehicle crash.

"Traffic management and diversions remain in place. Motorists are asked to avoid the area."

This evening's fatality follows the deaths of two other people in crashes earlier today. One person died in a crash in Auckland early this morning.

The crash happened near the intersection of Alford St and Great North Rd just after 3am when a ute crashed into a traffic light pole. In the South Island, a person also died after a crash in Waitaki involving a ute and a motorcycle around 11.20am.

Tonight's crash brings the Queen's Birthday weekend road toll to three. That equals the number of people killed on the road during Queen's Birthday in 2020.

On Friday, four people were killed after a truck and van crashed near Ashburton about 9.30am. These deaths are not counted in the official long weekend road toll.