Five dead in horror 24 hours on roads: Boxing Day crash claims another life

One person has died in hospital after a crash near Edendale on Boxing Day lifting the holiday road toll to nine.

The latest casualty came after police were called to the crash on State Highway 1, in Southland about 7.20pm on Monday.

Police said today the motorist died from their injuries on Wednesday.

Inquiries into the circumstances of the crash were ongoing, police said.

The Christmas holiday road toll is now nine with five days remaining in the official period.

This comes after two fatal crashes last night claimed the lives of four people.

Two people died in a two-vehicle crash in Wairau Valley, Marlborough.

Police were called to the crash, on SH63, shortly after 6pm.

A third person was flown to Wellington Hospital with serious injuries.

Emergency services also responded to a serious single-vehicle crash on Evans St in Timaru.

A police spokesperson confirmed they were called to the scene about 7.45pm.

At 11pm, police confirmed two people had died in the crash.

The first fatal crash of the holiday period was a motorist in Manawatū on December 23.

Police said the single-vehicle crash on Rongotea Rd, Rongotea was reported at 12.20am.

The driver, who was the only person in the car, was found dead at the scene.

Two people died in separate crashes in the Northland region during the period.

Jacinda “Cinda” Sione-Lauaki died on Christmas Eve when the car she was passenger in rolled on Kotata Rise, Whangārei.

The 18-year-old had been enjoying a night with friends when about 10pm, the car she and four others were travelling in failed to make a right turn around a sharp bend, veered left off the road and drove over a footpath before crashing down the bank.

Crash unit Senior Constable Warren Bunn said Sione-Lauaki was thrown from the car as it careened down the slope and was found dead under the vehicle, about 60m from the road.

He was unable to say whether any others were ejected from the car. However, three other people suffered minor injuries.

A second person died on Northland’s roads after a car flipped in Whangārei on December 27.

Police were called to Puna Rere Drive about 8.50pm. Three people were involved and of those, one had minor injuries and one was uninjured.

Puna Rere Drive was closed for several hours and diversions were in place at Te Hononga St and Denby Cres while the police serious crash unit investigated.

A 19-year-old woman also died after a one-car crash on SH20 in Auckland early on Boxing Day.

A police spokesperson said they were advised the car had crashed, and located the dead woman at the scene. An earlier press release described it as a “serious incident” and said one person had been arrested.

A day later a 20-year-old appeared in court charged with kidnapping, driving while forbidden and refusing officers’ request for blood. Police indicated at the time that other charges could follow.

Last year, 17 people died on roads around the country over the official Christmas and New Year holiday period.