Police have named a man who died in a head-on collision between two cars carrying Nelson families in Canterbury at the weekend.
Darren Robin Holland, 38, died after the collision in the Lewis Pass on State Highway 7 about 4pm on Saturday.
"His two children unfortunately are stillin hospital, in stable but not good condition," Constable Nick Wenborn of Hanmer Springs police said.
"It's not going to be a good Christmas for them."
The family in the other vehicle were also from Nelson, Mr Wenborn said.
A two-year-old in that vehicle suffered a broken leg and cuts and bruises but nobody else was injured.
Mr Holland was one of four people to die on New Zealand roads at the weekend.
A head-on collision in Canterbury yesterday killed one motorcyclist and left another with serious injuries yesterday.
The accident happened about 4pm on State Highway 77 near Downes Road, Glenroy in the Selwyn district.
The dead rider was Shane Lawrence Gordon, 22, of Tinwald, who was killed instantly.
The other rider was a 22-year-old American who suffered very serious injuries and was flown by Westpac rescue helicopter to Christchurch hospital
Police are appealing for witnesses to contact Darfield police
Earlier yesterday a man was killed and two others injured after a van collided with a power pole in Wanganui.
Police central communications acting shift commander Bruce MacKay said the crash happened on State Highway 3 between Fitzherbert Ave and Grey Street in the suburb Springvale, about 4.15pm.
The 67-year-old driver was believed to have suffered a heart attack shortly before the van hit the pole. He died at the scene.
The police serious crash unit was investigating.
Power supply to the area was temporarily affected.
In Whakatane a body was found in a car in a stream about 7am on Saturday.
Northern police communications Inspector Ian Brooker said a member of the public alerted police after seeing the body in a car in Orini Stream off Golf Links Road, Coastlands, about 4km north of Whakatane.
It was not known when the car entered the water, he said.
Sergeant Ray Wylie of Whakatane police said the car had collided with a bridge.
