Man killed in logging truck crash on State Highway 15

A truck driver died on the spot from critical injuries he received after crashing into some trees.

A 54-year-old man died after the logging truck he was driving crashed into a tree laden bank in Whangārei.

Police were called to Mangakahia Road in Tītoki on Monday at 12.20pm where the truck had blocked both lanes.

Serious crash unit analyst Jeff Cramp said the driver died at the scene from critical injuries received when the truck crashed head-on into trees.

He said police were still determining what went wrong but understood the logging truck had crossed the centre line and road before crashing into the bank. The cab had been completely destroyed.

“The rest of the truck and its trailing unit had rolled over and blocked the road. Aside from a few logs which got displaced on impact, most of them were tightly strapped by chains and weren’t an issue.”

Cramp said police had to bring in specialist equipment and cranes to move the truck off the road, which contributed to its lengthy closure. The road reopened at 8.30pm.

A police spokesperson said while they were still investigating the incident, they would like to extend their condolences to the family.

Avneesh Vincent is the crime and emergency services reporter at the Advocate. He was previously at the Gisborne Herald as the arts and environment reporter and is passionate about covering stories that can make a difference. He joined NZME in July 2023.