Rotorua fatal crash: Mayor ‘devastated’ for familes of two men and two women killed in State Highway 5 crash

• Two males and two females were killed in a crash between a car and an SUV on State Highway 5 near Rotorua
• Inspector Herby Ngawhika said there had not been a crash “to this degree” on the same stretch of road.
• A family member has paid tribute to one woman killed, saying “tears from my eyes keep on falling”.

Police say two males and two females were killed following a crash between a car and an SUV near Rotorua on Monday night.

Three people died at the scene of the crash on State Highway 5 in Whakarewarewa, Rotorua – which was reported about 7.50pm – and another died in hospital after having been transported in a critical condition.

Police earlier said the two-car crash involved seven people. Two people remain in hospital – one in a critical condition and one in a serious condition. One person was uninjured.

Rotorua Police area commander Inspector Herby Ngawhika told Stuff two males and a female in a sedan were killed in the crash, along with another female in an SUV.

Ngawhika believed all four were Kiwis and some were locals to Rotorua.

“Undoubtedly it will hit the community hard,” he said.

He said there had not been a crash “to this degree” on the same stretch of road.

Meanwhile a family member of one of the female victims has paid tribute online, saying “tears from my eyes keep on falling”.

“Rest peacefully our beautiful cuzzy ... Gonna be sorely loved and missed,” the tribute read.

State Highway 5 intersection with Tumunui Rd. Photo / Ben Fraser

Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell said the community was “devastated for the families of the crash victims”.

“It’s a tragedy to have lost four people so suddenly and our community is shocked and saddened for their loss.

“This is a well-used state highway that many people drive as a daily commute for work and also as visitors to our region.”

She expressed gratitude for the first responders and ambulance staff who attended the crash.

Ngawhika earlier said it was a “horrific crash” and police were providing support for everyone affected, including those who were first on the scene.

“On behalf of police, I want to extend our sincere sympathies to the whānau and friends of those who have been caught up in this terrible event.”

Both Tapsell and Ngawhika encouraged people to take care on the roads as the busy summer holiday period approached.

“Buckle-up, don’t speed and don’t drive impaired by alcohol or drugs, or distracted by phones,” Ngawhika said.

“We want everyone to get to where they’re going safely. Police will be out on the roads throughout our region and motorists should expect to see them anywhere, anytime.”

Ngawhika said inquiries into the crash were ongoing and he could not comment any further.

Police appeal for witnesses and dashcam footage

In a noon statement, police appealed for anyone travelling on the highway between 6.30pm and 8.30pm on Monday, who witnessed the incident or may have dashcam footage, to come forward.

Witnesses could contact police on 105 online, quoting file number 241210/0686.

Police said a stretch of SH5 would be closed for about two hours on Tuesday afternoon for crash investigations to continue.

From 1.30pm and 3.30pm the highway would be closed between Waipa Mill Rd and 8 Mile Gate. There would be diversions in place to allow traffic to flow.

SH5 closed on Monday night and reopened Tuesday morning.

A car of visibly upset people had parked at the cordon shortly after the crash was reported and began walking down the highway toward the crash scene.

St John said it sent two ambulances, an operations manager and a rapid response vehicle.

On Monday night, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi said the crash between Tumunui Rd and Waipa State Mill Rd had closed the highway.

Residents posted about the crash on a local Facebook page.

“Looks serious, roads closed.”

“Lots of ambulances,” another person wrote.

One woman commented that her daughter was turned around and she could hear people screaming from their cars.

Police said the crash on State Highway 5 was reported to police at 7.50pm. Photo / Ben Fraser

There have been several other fatal crashes this year on SH5, which runs from Tīrau in South Waikato, through Rotorua and Taupō, to north of Napier in Hawke’s Bay.

Among the dead were Lynette Helen Ambler, nee Gibson – a 63-year-old from Rotorua who died in a crash near Tāpapa in September – and Koutu 27-year-old Kiefer Bryers, who was killed near Whakarewarewa on March 31.

Quadruple fatal adds to spate of crashes over weekend

It comes after five people died in three separate crashes over the weekend.

Three motorcyclists were killed in a crash on State Highway 1 in Utiku, near Taihape, on Saturday.

Two of the riders have been publicly identified, with tributes left for Lesley Brooks and Jacob Coady.

Another motorcyclist was killed on the same day on SH32 near Taupō.

A motorist died in a single-vehicle crash near Little River in Canterbury on Sunday.

According to online Ministry of Transport statistics, the road toll for 2024 stood provisionally at 264 at 1pm today, including 13 this month, but the prospects were for the lowest annual toll in more than a decade.

The toll of 253 in 2013 was the lowest since 1952, and it has been below 300 just twice since, the 293 in 2014 and 299 in 2021, impacted by less traffic on the roads in the Covid era.

The highest on record was 843 in 1973.

There have been nine deaths on Rotorua local body area roads so far this year, including four in December, according to Ministry of Transport data last updated at 1.01pm Tuesday.

That was more than double last year’s four deaths in the area and matched the 2022 toll. Police recorded nine road deaths in 2023 in the Rotorua police district, the Rotorua Daily Post previously reported.

There have been 32 deaths in the Bay of Plenty Police district this year, which includes Rotorua, up from 28 in 2023, according to the ministry.