11 October 2010
Waikato Police are currently working to establish the cause of a crash north of Te Awamutu today which closed a highway and left a man with critical injuries and a mother and child requiring hospital treatment.
Emergency services were called to the scene of the crash north of the intersection of SH3 and Te Rahu Rd about 3.18pm.
The crash involved a collision between a Mitsubishi utility and a 1991 Nissan Navara.
A Serious Crash Unit investigator at the scene said it was too early to determine what the cause of the crash was at this stage.
The male driver of the Navara was cut out of his vehicle by firefighters and taken to Waikato Hospital in a critical condition suffering multiple leg, chest and head fractures.
The female driver of the Mitsubishi was also extracted by firefighters using cutting equipment, she suffered multiple fractures and a head injury and was taken to hospital by ambulance in a status two condition.
A baby travelling in her car was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure but initial indications are the girl escaped injury thanks to her being secured in an approved car seat.
SH3 was closed for over two hours to enable the recovery of the injured and to allow a preliminary crash investigation to take place.
End