A third person has died following a crash in which a fleeing car hit a parked truck in Mangere overnight.
Two people died at the scene on Massey Rd and two others in the car were taken to Middlemore Hospital in a serious condition after the collision.
A hospital spokeswoman confirmed one of the patients died this morning and the other remained in a critical condition.
The car that crashed was involved in a police pursuit in Manukau a short time earlier, but that pursuit was abandoned on SH20.
A short time later the fleeing driver came up behind another police car on SH20.
The fleeing driver went round the police car and took off at speed heading west on Massey Rd and the second police car was also told to abandon the pursuit.
They reported a short time later the fleeing driver had crashed nearby.
Residents described hearing the sound of a car "going very fast" on Massey Rd before it collided with an empty parked truck.
The force shunted the truck several metres down the road, flipping it over.
A Massey Rd resident who did not wish to be named, heard the sounds of the impact and came rushing outside.
"The car engine was on and the driver was dead.
"They [police] were trying to get the other two out - I saw them cutting off his t-shirt and putting a neck brace on him," she said.
"They covered up the car and left the dead people inside,"said the woman.
Neighbours said the truck had been parked on the street for several weeks with a 'For Sale' sign.
The scene is being examined by the Serious Crash Unit. CIB are also investigating, and the incident will be reported to the IPCA.
