King’s Birthday long weekend holiday road toll rises to two

Two dead in holiday weekend crashes, and roads closed after non-fatal crashes in the North and South Islands.

The King’s Birthday long weekend road toll has risen to two after a person died in a crash in eastern Bay of Plenty last night, police say.

The death after a single vehicle crash on State Highway 35 in Omaio, Ōpōtiki at 8.40pm comes after a motorist died in Kaikohe on Saturday night.

“Despite the best efforts of emergency services, the person died at the scene”, police said in media releases for both incidents.

The Serious Crash Unit attended both incidents, the circumstances of which are being investigated.

Last night's fatal crash occurred on at Omaio, east of Ōpōtiki, police said. Photo / Google Maps

In the first incident, a man died in a single vehicle crash at 5.30pm on Saturday. The driver rolled his vehicle on a gentle bend and crashed into trees on Te Pua Rd in Kaikohe, police said.

The official holiday period ends at 6am tomorrow. It began at 4pm on Friday. One person died over the King’s Birthday long weekend last year.

Meanwhile, a section of State Highway 1 has been closed after a crash which seriously injured one person north of Temuka in South Canterbury late this morning, police said.

The Temuka-Orari Highway is closed after the two-vehicle crash between Te Awa and Rise Rds at 11.20am. Temuka is 20km north of Timaru.

“One person has been seriously injured. Diversions are in place down Springfield Rd and Rise Rd.”

State Highway 1 north of Temuka in South Canterbury has been closed after a crash which seriously injured one. Photo / Google Maps

A Manawatū road has also been closed after a truck crashed just before 11.30am, police said.

The crash occurred on Saddle Rd, near Ashhurst, 15km northeast of Palmerston North.

“Detours are in place, and motorists are advised to expect delays.”

The worst toll for the holiday weekend in recent years was when six people died on New Zealand roads in 2019, when the holiday marking the monarch’s official birthday was known as Queen’s Birthday.

This long weekend’s two deaths follows those of five people in a catastrophic two-vehicle crash on State Highway 3 near Te Awamutu on Tuesday.

An elderly couple died in one car. They were Paul and Lois Grimmer, Stuff reported.

The three people in the other vehicle were Piata Ofufangavalu, Cheyene Love-Mitchell and Suliasi Lefai.