Crashes keep services busy

Two people were seriously injured, a nurse allegedly assaulted and a pharmacy door smashed in by a car amid a series of crashes in Manawatu¯ and Horowhenua in the weekend.

A driver assaulted officers and a nurse after he was injured when he lost control of his vehicle on State Highway 57, south of Shannon, on Saturday night, police said.

‘‘He refused help from ambulance, locked himself in the vehicle and refused to open the door for police,’’ a police spokeswoman said.

‘‘He was taken to A and E, where he’s caused them no end of trouble, assaulted a nurse – he kicked her – and there’s been a scuffle with police.’’

The 47-year-old Levin man had moderate injuries.

Hours earlier, three other people were injured in two crashes outside Shannon.

A man was seriously injured in a three-car crash about 8.40pm on a country road west of Shannon.

While emergency services were working at that scene, another car crashed into a ditch nearby on the Foxton-Shannon road.

As if a series of crashes were not enough for the emergency workers, they also had to rush to the scene of a serious rugby injury in Feilding. A high school rugby player was flown to Burwood Hospital in Christchurch yesterday.

On Saturday, one person was seriously hurt in a two-car crash that closed State Highway 56, south of Palmerston North, at Longburn, just after 1pm. ‘‘Two people were trapped, a person in each car, and one car was on its roof.’’

Yesterday morning, a car crashed into Palmerston North medical centre Total Healthcare, caving in the front doors.