Pair die as truck, car crash
Cause of collision investigated
DUNEDIN police are investigating a crash which killed two people early yesterday.
Emergency services were called to State Highway 1 between East Taieri and Allanton, about 10km south of Dunedin, about 3am yesterday after a report of a headon collision between a car and a heavy truck.
The male driver of the car and a female passenger died at the scene.
Firefighters attempted to free the man who was initially seriously injured and trapped in the vehicle.
The driver of the truck was uninjured.
A police spokesman said the crash was being investigated by Dunedin CIB, the serious crash unit and the commercial vehicle inspection unit.
It appeared the truck was travelling south and the car north towards Dunedin.
Tyre marks, still visible at the scene yesterday, trailed from the northbound lane into the southbound and off the straight stretch of road. Debris and oil stains littered the area.
Police would not comment on the suspected cause of the crash or the identities of the victims.
‘‘Inquiries will be conducted to establish the cause of the crash,’’ the spokesman said.
‘‘Until the investigations are concluded police will not speculate on the cause of the crash.
‘‘Police will ensure that all next of kin have been informed before the names of the deceased are released.’’
The road was closed for much of the morning as investigators pieced together events leading to the crash. The road reopened about 10am.
Initial information from police suggested the man was trapped in the car for more than an hour.
A St John spokesman confirmed both occupants of the car died at the scene and the truck driver was uninjured.
It is understood the female victim was a young mother.
Tributes to the woman flowed on social media yesterday.
‘‘I’m so sad to hear the news of your passing, still actually in shock,’’ one message said.
‘‘Fly high beautiful soul,’’ another read.
Residents of the area said they were unaware of the crash until they awoke later in the morning and noticed the eerie silence.
‘‘I knew something was wrong because there was no traffic,’’ one resident said.
She then noticed the police cars and traffic using diversions in the distance.
About 200km north, another motorist died yesterday after colliding with a truck.
The crash occurred south of Makikihi, in South Canterbury, about 50km north of Oamaru, just after 3am.
The driver of the car died at the scene, while the truck driver was treated for minor injuries. There were no passengers in either vehicle.
That crash also remains under investigation.
timothy.brown@odt.co.nz