Holiday weekend road toll at two

The Labour weekend road toll stands at two today, after a woman critically injured in a Paekakariki crash died in hospital overnight.

She was Te Rauoriwa Daphne Pomare (79), from Levin.

Four people were injured in the head-on collision south of Wellington yesterday.

Emergency services were called to the scene at State Highway 1, just south of Paekakariki, about 11am.

Ms Pomare was airlifted to Wellington Hospital with critical injuries, a spokeswoman for the Wellington Free Ambulance said, but police confirmed today that she died overnight.

Two others were taken to the same hospital via ambulance, suffering moderate injuries.

Two other people were treated at the scene, the spokeswoman said.

The road was closed for more than three hours.

The first Labour weekend fatality happened early yesterday, when a car struck a median strip and a truck on the Southern Motorway, near Pokeno, just after 4.30am.

The southbound lanes of the motorway were closed off between Razorback Rd and Nikau Rd interchanges for some time.

Details of the person killed have not yet been released by police, and the Serious Crash Unit is investigating.

In Greymouth, a motorcyclist was killed during the Greymouth Motorcycle Street Races, but the death is not part of the official road toll, as the street was closed to the public.

He sustained critical injuries after crashing his bike on Herbert St, about 11am.

A St John spokeswoman said he was being taken to hospital when he died.

Authorities are investigating and are appealing for any witnesses to contact police.

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