Northland news in brief: homes without power after car slams into power pole; person hit by a car dies

Power and traffic were disrupted by a crash on Waimate North Rd, near Kerikeri, on Monday morning. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Crash causes power outage

More than 140 Kerikeri households were left without power on Monday morning after a car demolished a power pole on Waimate North Rd. The crash occurred at about 7.05am a few hundred metres from State Highway 10. A Honda hatchback left the road, toppled a power pole and came to rest jammed up against a fence with the concrete pole resting along its roof. The driver left the scene before emergency services arrived. The smash left power lines suspended about a metre above the roadside, reducing traffic to one lane for more than two hours, including during the busy school drop-off time. The car was not reported stolen at the time. Top Energy line crews disconnected the power and brought in a crane to lift the pole off the car. Work to replace the pole started at about 9 am. Police and the Kerikeri Fire Brigade responded. St John Ambulance was stood down when no one from the vehicle was found at the scene. Areas affected by the power cut included Springbank RD/SH10, Waimate North Rd and Blue Gum Lane.

Pedestrian dies in crash

A person has died in the hospital after being hit by a vehicle in Kaitaia on Friday. The person was taken to hospital in critical condition after the crash on Wireless Rd around 11.45 pm but died of their injuries. Police are appealing to the public for information to help them piece together events leading up to the crash. A police spokesperson asked anyone who was in the area between 11.30pm and 12am on Friday, March 31, or anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage, to get in touch. People can contact the police on 105 or online, referencing file number 230401/3048. Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Youths arrested over car on roof

Police confirmed two young people have been taken into custody after a crash in Kensington on Saturday night. A stolen car crashed onto the roof of a house on Western Hills Drive around midnight. The occupants of the house were unharmed, but the driver of the car was transported to the hospital in serious condition. The two youths were referred to Youth Aid and the vehicle was seized.

Dive company has charges withdrawn

A Northland dive company that was involved in an incident at the Poor Knights Islands with Tauraroa Area School has had its charges withdrawn. Dive! Tutukākā was charged with one charge of exposing an individual to risk of harm. Tauraroa Area School was also charged with the same offence and sentenced. Students were told by Dive! Tutukākā staff to stay away from cliffs and rocks in the bay, and to always stay in sight of the boat. However, a small group entered a cave and had to be rescued by Dive! Tutukākā staff. WorkSafe determined the school had inadequate supervision in place and did not have an outdoor education safety management system in place for such trips. The school was sentenced by Judge John McDonald to pay emotional reparation to both students - the sum of which was suppressed.

Rape trial starts for church member

A jury trial has begun in the Whangārei District Court for a long-standing Northland church member on two charges of husband rapes wife. The charges relate to two separate incidents that allegedly occurred in the late 2000s and lawyer for the Crown, Catherine Cull, opened the case by telling the jury there was no way his wife could have consented. The man is being represented by Arthur Fairley and the trial is expected to run for four days.