NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / New Zealand

Huntly triple fatality: Three dead in car crash, including two children

NZ Herald
19 Sep, 2016 03:06 AM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A triple fatal accident closes State Highway 1 at Huntly

A woman at the scene of a fatal crash in Huntly that claimed the lives of a man and two boys has described how she found a young girl distraught in the back seat of a mangled car.

The witness was in the Essex Arms pub which is just metres away from State Highway One, when a silver sedan crossed the centre line and collided with a Mark Grey Carriers truck just after 2.30pm.

The road reopened just before 9pm. Police are still working to confirm the identities of the deceased and inform next of kin.

The witness ran to the scene and said the truck driver, who was uninjured, got out of his truck and was immediately on the phone to emergency services.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She and other witnesses prised open the front passenger door of the car where a badly injured woman in her late 20s was sitting. A girl, aged 9, was sitting behind her.

"[The little girl] was quite upset. She was in the back and she was worried her mum was going to die. Her brother - well I presume it was her brother - was half lying on her."

There was another boy next to him and she thought they looked about 11 and 13 years old.

She and a motorist who had been travelling directly behind the car helped unlock the girl's door. A Huntly doctor and her assistant helped the girl to their car and tried to calm her down.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The pub customer said the mother suffered severe facial wounds. She was in severe shock.

Her airbag had opened, which the witness thought may have minimised the damage.

The woman and girl were airlifted to Waikato Hospital. As of 7pm, the woman was in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit, while the girl was stable in a ward.

"[The girl's] lost her family," the witness said. "I assume her mother will be all right but you never know with head wounds."

Discover more

New Zealand

Top violinist mourned

19 Sep 11:31 PM
New Zealand

Huntly horror crash: Crash survivor loved returning to NZ

20 Sep 07:40 AM
New Zealand

Crash victim 'an example to most parents'

20 Sep 05:46 PM
New Zealand

Huntly crash: 'Our hearts are shattered'

21 Sep 12:35 AM

Other nearby workers said they did not hear the crash despite their shops backing onto where it was on SH1 in Huntly.

Charlie Habershon was working at the takeaway shop and ran out the back door to see what had happened when her sister heard sirens.

Habershon saw the woman being cut from the vehicle about five minutes later.

The takeaway staff heard an ambulance driver say to the girl, "It's OK you can hold mummy's hand in a little while".

The bodies of those who died in the crash were removed around 8pm, said Huntly volunteer fire brigade chief Craig Bush.

The scene had been cleared and SH1 was open again.

The crash scene. Photo / Supplied
The crash scene. Photo / Supplied

Mark Grey, of Mark Grey Carriers, said he was at the police station with the driver this afternoon.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We're not doing too well. I'm supporting the driver and we're giving the police as much information as we can."

Huntly Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Craig Bush said it had been a "pretty rough day".

"We were also called to assist ambulance at a cardiac arrest and the person died so that was four people dead in our little town in an hour and a half."

Counselling would be offered to any firefighters who needed it.

"We're able to offer all the support in the world for anyone who needs it."

Waikato road policing senior sergeant Andy Bubear urged people to drive to the conditions.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"If you are tired or fatigued stop."

Some residents did not want to speak about the crash out of respect for the people involved.

A local shop worker, who asked not to be named, said customers had been coming through talking about the crash and supporting each other.

"There was a whole commotion at the time and there were helicopters up.

"It's a triple fatality, so we're expecting emergency crews to be around for a while. We don't know if [the victims] are locals or not, but it's a sad thing for the community.''

Emergency services on the scene of a triple fatal vehicle accident in Huntly. Photo / Nikki Preston
Emergency services on the scene of a triple fatal vehicle accident in Huntly. Photo / Nikki Preston

Waikato District mayor Allan Sanson said the community would be rallying to support one another.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Our thoughts and hearts are with the family, obviously. I understand there is three departed and two in critical care. I don't know if they're a family or connected in anyway, but I'm assuming there is a family in there,'' he said.

"Unfortunately we live in a part of New Zealand which has huge traffic numbers and occasionally we have these types of things happen for whatever reason.

"Every time there's a truck and car involved, usually the occupants in the car come off second best."

It was not yet known whether those involved were a local family, he said.

"But if they are local people, it will impact even more in the community. It is a hard one. My heart goes out to the family - it really, really does.

"It happens and people don't get to have their goodbyes - they don't get to have that last cuddle, they don't get to have that last kiss. It's just that sudden gone - like somebody turning a light switch off."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The three deaths would take this year's official road toll from 229, where it stood today, to 232.

The toll for the same period last year was 10 fewer.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from New Zealand

Auckland

Person seriously injured falling from vehicle in Pokeno crash

05 Jul 08:16 AM
New Zealand

'Very sad and tragic': Baby found critically hurt at house dies, homicide probe launched

05 Jul 06:33 AM
New Zealand

Brazen hammer heist: Police hunt jewel thief, staff distressed after store raid

05 Jul 05:11 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from New Zealand

Person seriously injured falling from vehicle in Pokeno crash

Person seriously injured falling from vehicle in Pokeno crash

05 Jul 08:16 AM

Police want to speak with anyone who saw the serious crash.

'Very sad and tragic': Baby found critically hurt at house dies, homicide probe launched

'Very sad and tragic': Baby found critically hurt at house dies, homicide probe launched

05 Jul 06:33 AM
Brazen hammer heist: Police hunt jewel thief, staff distressed after store raid

Brazen hammer heist: Police hunt jewel thief, staff distressed after store raid

05 Jul 05:11 AM
Teen claims Air NZ ghosts her after storm-diverted plane lands at ‘dead’ US airport at 2am

Teen claims Air NZ ghosts her after storm-diverted plane lands at ‘dead’ US airport at 2am

05 Jul 04:40 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP