Fiery car crash victims were from Ohakune

Fire appliance PHOTO/FILE

The two people killed in a fiery car crash near Waiouru on Monday were a man and woman from Ohakune.

Ryan David Campbell Thompson, 24, and Hereina Paul, 23, were in the car when it went over a bank about 10pm and caught fire, police say.

Mr Thompson was the driver of the car, which crashed south of Waiouru.

Firefighters from Waiouru and Taihape attended the crash but were unable to rescue the occupants of the car, and St John paramedics found two people dead when they arrived at the scene at 10.35pm.

Nobody else was involved in the crash.

Police extend their sympathies to the families of the victims.

Ms Paul is believed to be the same woman facing sentence on charges relating to the Ohakune manhunt last year.

She had pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to attempted murder and helping Dolphy Kohu avoid arrest after shooting at police officers.

She also pleaded guilty to unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.

At an appearance in court last year, Ms Paul and Mr Kohu stood in the dock together hugging and kissing.

Mr Kohu died in prison in January.

Police would not confirm whether it was the same Hereina Paul.