King’s Birthday road toll: Third death confirmed after person struck by vehicle on Auckland motorway

The King’s Birthday long weekend road toll has risen to three after police confirmed a person was struck by a vehicle on an Auckland motorway.

Police said they were making inquiries on behalf of the coroner after a person on the road was struck by a vehicle on the Northern Gateway Toll Road about 12.20am on Saturday.

“Sadly, they passed away at the scene and inquiries to determine the circumstances are ongoing,” said a police spokesperson.

This was the first death on New Zealand roads after the official holiday period began at 4pm on Friday.

On Saturday evening, the road toll climbed to two after a man died in a single-vehicle crash in Kaikohe, Northland.

The driver rolled his vehicle on a gentle bend and crashed into trees on Te Pua Rd, police said.

A third death was reported after a single-vehicle crash in eastern Bay of Plenty last night.

Emergency services responded to the incident on State Highway 35 in Omaio, Ōpōtiki at 8.40pm. The victim died at the scene.

The Serious Crash Unit attended both crashes, the circumstances of which are being investigated.

The official holiday period ends at 6am tomorrow. Four people died over the King’s Birthday long weekend last year.

Meanwhile, a section of SH1 has reopened after a crash that seriously injured one person north of Temuka in South Canterbury late this morning.

The Temuka-Orari Highway was closed after the two-vehicle crash between Te Awa and Rise Rds at 11.20am. Temuka is 20km north of Timaru.

“One person has been seriously injured. Diversions are in place down Springfield Rd and Rise Rd,” police said.

Two people have also been transported to hospital, one in a serious condition, after a vehicle left the road on Rahu Saddle on SH7 in the Buller District this afternoon.

“Emergency services are in attendance at a crash reported at 3.45pm involving a single vehicle which has left the road,” police said.

“Further to this, two people have been transported to Christchurch Hospital, one of whom has serious injuries, the other has minor injuries.”

A Manawatū road was closed earlier after a truck crashed just before 11.30am, police said.

The crash occurred on Saddle Rd, near Ashhurst, 15km northeast of Palmerston North.

The road has since reopened and emergency services are managing traffic.

The worst toll for the holiday weekend in recent years was when six people died on New Zealand roads in 2019, when the holiday marking the monarch’s official birthday was known as Queen’s Birthday.

This long weekend’s three deaths follow those of five people in a horrific two-vehicle crash on SH3 near Te Awamutu on Tuesday.

An elderly couple died in one car. They were Paul and Lois Grimmer of Whatawhata.

The three people in the other vehicle were Piata Ofufangavalu, Cheyene Love-Mitchell and Suliasi Lefai.

The victims are being farewelled this weekend ahead of a candlelight vigil tomorrow evening.

Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.