Man critical after Blenheim crash

Photo / Greg Bowker

A man is in a critical condition after his car went off a bridge near Blenheim last night.

Ambulance communications spokeswoman Sharleen Murtha said the car was fortunate to land on a sand bar when it left State Highway 6 over the Wairau River about 11.30pm.

The man was taken by helicopter to Wellington Hospital in a critical condition.

In Dunedin, a teenager was trapped in a car for about an hour when it smashed into a power pole about 3.50am.

The crash, on East Taieri-Allanton Rd, "split the car in two", Ms Murtha said.

It took firefighters an hour to free the teenager from the wreckage.

The patient was taken to hospital in a serious condition.

In Waikato, a woman is in a critical condition after being struck by a vehicle near Rotorua this morning.

Police were called after the pedestrian was found on SH33 near Whangamarino Primary School about 3.30am.

The woman was taken to Rotorua Hospital in a critical condition.

Police said the highway would be closed for some time while the serious crash unit carried out its investigation.

Diversions were in place on SH33 by Haumurana Rd from the Rotorua end and SH33/SH2 at the Paengaroa/Tauranga end.

Motorists should expect lengthy delays.