Road crash victim dead hours before discovery

A man who died in a car crash yesterday may have been dead for hours before he was discovered by a motorist, say police.

Robert Watkins, 57, of Tangiteroria, died after his car veered of the road and flipped on State Highway 14, the Northern Advocate reported today.

The accident was found at 7.30am yesterday near Maungatapere, on the road to Dargaville.

Police believe Mr Watkins may have lain dead for hours before he was discovered by a motorist.

Police serious crash analyst Senior Constable Jim Hawthorn said it was unclear how long the man had been dead in his car.

The engine was cold when emergency workers arrived at the scene, indicating the vehicle had been there for some time, he said.

The car had veered off the road on a right-hand bend, smashed into a stone driveway crossing and flipped in a culvert, Mr Hawthorn said.

It was uncertain whether there was anyone else in the car when it crashed.

An autopsy was carried out today and the car would be checked to see whether mechanical failure contributed to the crash, Mr Hawthorn said.

- NZPA

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