A fatal car accident yesterday afternoon closed the road over the Kaimai Ranges in the Bay of Plenty for more than three hours.
Tauranga police said the accident, which killed a 52-year-old man and injured four people, happened just before 2pm at the intersection of State Highway 29 and Soldiers Rd,
on the Tauranga side of the ranges.
Motorists were given the option of diverting north to Waihi or south to Rotorua.
The name of the dead man was not available last night.
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A pedestrian died after being hit by a truck on State Highway 1 between the Wellington suburbs of Johnsonville and Churton Park on Saturday.
Stacey Reon Luke, aged 25 of Johnsonville, was hit by the truck travelling south. Traffic was diverted. Police said the truck driver was shaken but uninjured.
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On Friday night 68-year-old Frank Paraika Stewart died after a collision between a milk tanker and a car in Northland.
The vehicles collided after the tanker, which was taking a tight corner in slippery conditions, crossed the centre line and hit the oncoming car on State Highway 1 near Kawakawa, 54km northwest of Whangarei about 6.30pm, a police spokesperson said.
Mr Stewart, who was driving the car, suffered extensive injuries and died while being treated at the scene.
The car's two passengers received minor injuries and were treated at Bay of Islands Hospital and released.
The truck driver was treated for shock.
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A 41-year-old man injured in a motorcycle accident near Mangakino, 35km southwest of Tokoroa, earlier this month has died.
Police said the man was injured when his motorcycle left the shortly before 6pm and crashed into an earth bank. He died yesterday in Waikato Hospital.
- HERALD REPORTER, NZPA
