Child dead, others hurt after Desert Rd crash north of Waiouru
Friday, 30 March 2018
A young child died after a serious crash on the Desert Road.
The crash involved two cars and two truck-trailer units, and happened in the south-bound lane.
The State Highway 1 was closed after the crash, north of Waiouru, and remained closed into the night.
A police spokeswoman said they were called at 3.20pm on Good Friday when a car and truck collided about 20 minutes' drive north of the central North Island town.
READ MORE: Two dead, children hurt in crashes on Good Friday
The crash happened between Waipakihi and Rangipo Intake roads.
Police set up a landing site so a helicopter could take patients to hospital. Three people were taken to Waikato Hospital by air in a critical condition. Another person with moderate injuries was taken by ambulance to Whanganui Hospital.
Senior Sergeant Fane Troy, of the Bay of Plenty Road Policing team, said the Serious Crash Unit and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Team are investigating.
It will take some time for police to contact the family of those involved, as some of the family members are overseas, he said.
The NZ Transport Agency closed the road between Waiouru and Rangipo, forcing traffic to detour via National Park.
An agency official said the detour, combined with Easter holiday traffic, would add at least 90 minutes to a trip through the area.
The road was expected to be closed for some time.