Local man towed desperate motorists off beach after crash closed vital stretch of Kāpiti Coast highway

The scene of the fatal crash. Photo / Rosalie Willis

A crash on the Kāpiti Coast caused "carnage" last night as stranded motorists tried to escape the gridlock traffic by driving on to the beach – where the tide was creeping up.

Local man Byrin Malone told Stuff there was a "continuous line" of cars on the beach.

"It was pretty full-on, cars getting stuck in Te Horo and Peka Peka. I just went down there, and I started pulling one person out, and then it was just onto the next, and so on."

The chaos was the result of a fatal two-car crash on State Highway 1 near the intersection of Te Hapua Rd, which closed the road entirely.

One person died at the scene and a second was airlifted to Wellington Hospital in a serious condition.

The crash occurred at 7.50pm and in a statement at 10.20pm police said there were no diversions in place – meaning motorists were stuck.

A further statement from Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport at 3am said the traffic had cleared.

Malone had a busy night clearing traffic himself – not from the road however. He says over the four hours he was at the beach he towed five or six vehicles – but at least 100 took the unconventional "short cut".

"It was pretty hectic... People just started turning up in little lowered Mazdas, stuff that just couldn't do it. There were a few cars that ripped off their front bumpers and stuff like that. It was carnage. At some points it got a bit hairy."

Police are asking for information from the public, including anyone who saw a black 1998 Nissan Terrano vehicle travelling northbound prior to the crash.

Drivers of vehicles in the area with dashcams are also asked to check for any footage of this vehicle.

Anyone with information should contact police by calling 105 and quoting event number P048176036.