Car crash victim farewelled

A Matamata man killed in a head-on crash on his way to work one Friday morning was farewelled.

Michael Peter Van Den Broek, or Snow as he was known by family and friends, died at the scene of the crash with a ute on the outskirts of Morrinsville on August 25.

The 57 year old leaves behind his wife of 31 years, Judith, and daughter Georgia.

Police were still investigating what exactly led one of the drivers to cross the centreline on Kereone Rd in the darkness at 5.30am.

A truck driver was the first to come across the two smashed vehicles - a silver ute and Van Den Broek’s silver hatchback.

Tools and equipment were scattered across the highway amid the wreckage.

‘‘The crash happened on a gentle bend with a slight rise on it, where a ute heading east has collided with a smaller passenger car travelling towards Morrinsville,’’ Waikato road police Senior Sergeant Pete van de Wetering said earlier.

‘‘Both men are local to the Waikato and were heading to work for the morning.’’

Van de Wetering said the impact of the crash shunted the hatchback off the road and left the late-model ute in a ditch 10km east of Morrinsville.

The ute driver was taken to Waikato Hospital with moderate injuries.

In a funeral notice published in the Waikato Times, Van Den Broek is described as a ‘‘dearly loved husband and soulmate and much loved dad’’.

‘‘A much loved son, brother, brother-in-law, uncle and great uncle. A good mate to many.

A celebration of ‘‘Snow’s life’’ was to be held at the RSA Clubrooms, Ngaio Street, Matamata, on Thursday, August 31.

He is the 23rd fatality on the roads within the Waikato police’s jurisdiction so far this year.