A man has been arrested following a two-vehicle crash near Waipawa yesterday afternoon, after one of the vehicles involved was clocked doing 130km/h prior to the crash.
Part of State Highway 2, near the Collins Street intersection was closed following the crash that left four people injured, two of them critically.
Hawke’s Bay Area Commander Lincoln Sycamore said a 19-year-old man was arrested at the scene of the crash and charges are being considered.
“While it’s too early to comment on the details of the crash, it is thought that excessive speed was a factor,” he said.
“A police patrol on the outskirts of Waipawa recorded one of the vehicles involved travelling into Waipawa at 130 km per hour.”
Two people who were critically injured in the crash remain in Wellington Hospital.
“A third person transported to Wellington Hospital with minor injuries has been treated and discharged. A fourth person remains in Hawke’s Bay Hospital in a serious condition.”
Sycamore said there was also a dog in the vehicle which had minor injuries and was taken to a local vet to be checked and before being discharged to its owners.
“Incidents like this are harrowing for all involved, including the victims, their families, members of the public who witnessed the crash, and first responders,” said Sycamore.
“Our investigation into the circumstances of the crash is ongoing.”