A man died after crashing a car through a bridge at Lake Ohau this morning.
Sergeant Blair Corlet, of Oamaru, speaking on the phone from the crash scene this morning, said a man was driving a Subaru Legacy car east on Lake Ohau Rd when he crashed into Freehold Creek Bridge, between Lake Ohau Village and Lake Ohau Lodge, about 1am.
The man, who was alone in the car, had travelled through a moderate left hand bend and "misjudged his entry'' on to the one-lane bridge and crashed through one of its wooden sides.
The car "flipped'' and came to rest on its roof on the creek bed.
The man was "ejected'' from the car, sustained "fatal injuries'' and died at the scene, Sgt Corlet said.
The man was believed to be the registered owner of the car, a 34-year-old man from the Lake Ohau area.
The crash scene was discovered by a member of the public about 5.30am.
A St John spokesman said an ambulance and doctor was deployed from Twizel jusr before 6am and were expecting to find the dead man on arrival.
Alcohol was suspected to be a factor to the crash, Sgt Corlet said.
The Serious Crash Unit were investigating, he said.
The road was closed for a scene examination and reopened at 9.30am, he said.
