Tourist fighting for life after SH23 crash

A 48-year-old on a family holiday from Australia is fighting for his life in hospital after a three-vehicle crash in Waikato which also injured his wife and two children.

The crash occurred on State Highway 23 between Whatawhata and Raglan about 5pm yesterday.

The man was taken by Westpac Waikato Air Ambulance to Waikato Hospital, where he today remained in a critical condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.

His 42-year-old wife was treated in the emergency department and discharged, as was the couple's 10-year-old daughter.
Their 3-year-old son was today in a stable condition in a ward.

The woman thanked emergency services and the many people at the scene who offered to help.

The Waikato Police serious crash unit is investigating the crash.

Meanwhile, high speed is to blame for the death of a man killed when he lost control of his car and rolled it into a paddock on a Waikato road this morning, say police.

The 45-year-old was found trapped in his vehicle on Tainui Rd, Whitikahu about 9.45am.