Person dead, road closed after truck and car crash near Timaru

A person has died after being trapped in a car following a serious crash on the Timaru-Pareora Highway.

Police were called to the crash between Half Chain Road and King Street near the settlement of Pareora involving a car and truck at 2.25pm.

The road is closed and diversions are in place.

Emergency services initially worked to free the trapped person but police said at 3.40pm that the victim had died.

It's not clear if the person was the driver of the car or the sole occupant.

Police said the Serious Crash Unit was on its way and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Team was at the scene.

They expected the road would remain closed for several hours and asked motorists to be patient.

Meanwhile police have now named the person who died in a crash on State Highway 1 near Sanson in the Manawatu on Sunday.

He was 80-year-old Nedjeljko Glamuzina, also known as Ned, from Wellington.

The Serious Crash Unit investigation into the cause of that crash is ongoing.