Waikato Police are investigating whether a disqualified driver's confusing of the red emergency lights of an ambulance with the red and blue lights of a police car was the reason he accelerated away moments before a crash that left two people seriously injured overnight.
District Road Policing Manager, Inspector Marcus Lynam, said emergency services were called to the scene of the crash on SH1, about a kilometre from the intersection with SH29, about 10.13pm.
"The collision is still under investigation by the Waikato Serious Crash Unit but initial indications are a ambulance, on its way to a priority one job in Matamata activated its emergency lights while driving behind a southbound Holden Commodore.
"The 21-year-old male driver of the Commodore appears to have thought the ambulance was a Police car and sped off before losing control a short distance later and crashing ino a rock on the opposite side of the road."
Mr Lynam said the car hit with such force its engine was left on the side of the northbound lane while the vehicle careered back into the one opposite.
"The ambulance has rounded the corner and clipped the Commodore in the middle of the road before coming to a stop.
"The ambulance driver was shaken but uninjured in the crash while the other driver and a male passenger fled the scene, despite suffering serious injuries. They were located in bushes a short time later and both were flown to Waikato Hospital in status two condition while a female passenger suffered minor injuries."
Mr Lynam said it appears the driver of the car accelerated away owing to his being disqualified and the Commodore being without a warrant of fitness or registration.
Police are awaiting the results of blood tests to determine what, if any, part alcohol may have played in the crash.
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