Weekend accidents kill three

The driver of this Holden (left) died in a collision near Whangarei yesterday. Photo / Northern Advocate

A 28-year-old man died yesterday after the Holden he was driving collided with another car at Oakleigh near Whangarei.

He died at the scene. His 26-year-old passenger and two others in a Nissan - a woman driver, 63, and a male passenger, 59, were taken to Whangarei Hospital for treatment.

A hospital duty manager said she did not have an update on their condition last night.

The accident happened on State Highway 1 near Mangapai Rd about 10.15am. The Northland Serious Crash Unit and Whangarei police are investigating.

Whangarei Senior Sergeant Steve Dickson said initial indications were that speed and a wet road might be factors in the crash.

He said police were trying to identify the driver of a white bus who may have witnessed the crash. He urged either that person or bus passengers to contact police.

Diversions were put in place as the road was closed for two hours.

The man's name will not be released until next of kin have been notified.

Two men died in separate motorcycle accidents in Wellington during the weekend.

A 22-year-old died after he was thrown from his bike in a crash in the suburb of Newtown on Saturday night.

He was travelling south on Russell Terrace when he collided with a turning taxi about 11pm.

He received serious injuries and died a short time after being taken to Wellington Hospital.

The taxi driver was not injured and was not carrying passengers at the time, police said. The serious crash unit was investigating.

Sergeant Lance Murdoch of Wellington said the man had been identified but police had not yet been able to contact his relatives who lived overseas.

A 58-year-old motorcyclist was killed in a crash with a number of cars on a Wellington motorway on Friday night.

Porirua technician Wayne Francis McLaughlin died in the accident on State Highway 1 near the Aotea offramp as he headed out of the city about 6.30pm.

Police want to hear from anyone who may have seen the driver of a blue Kawasaki motorcycle on the motorway before the crash.

- staff reporter, NZPA