A woman who was found hurt on the side the road near Taupo early yesterday morning had been involved in a crash which killed her partner, police said today.
Scott Raymond Corbett, 23, was killed when their car crashed off State Highway 1 at Wairakei.
Sergeant Dave Frazersaid it was not clear what time the crash occurred.
The Honda was headed south when it lost control on a bend, crossed the centreline and crashed down a bank into a stand of poplar trees.
Mr Corbett was thrown from the vehicle.
His partner was picked up by passing motorists and taken to Tokoroa Hospital around 6am where she was treated for broken ribs.
Taupo police are investigating who was driving and whether charges will be laid.
They plan to speak with the woman later this week.
It was the only fatal accident of the weekend despite a close call in Coromandel and police reporting higher than normal accident numbers due to heavy rain in the central North Island.
Four people were injured when a car ploughed into a gathering in the front garden of a Coromandel beach house on Saturday.
They were part of a group who were attending the Beach Hop, an annual motoring event.
The worst injured were Mary-Beth Wood, 15, who received a fractured leg and Nigel Loll Fluharty, 18, who suffered fractures, spleen damage and concussion.
