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.
Firefighters cut the man from the wreckage but he died soon after. His death is the first on Waikato roads this year.
Senior sergeant Rupert Friend of Huntly police said it appeared the man lost control of his car on a bend before the vehicle went into a paddock and rolled and speed was "most definitely" a factor.
"This is a case of a rural person dying on rural roads," he said.
"They may know the roads and drive them all the time but they still have to slow down and drive them properly."
The man's name has not been released but Mr Friend said he was from the area and his next of kin had been notified.
Diversions had been put in place at the southern end of Tainui Rd as the serious crash unit investigated.
- By James Ihaka of the New Zealand Herald
