A Kakanui man was lucky to escape with only injuries after the front of his Toyota utility was virtually demolished when he hit a truck at the Springfield-Fortification Rds intersection about 3.30pm yesterday.
''He was very, very lucky,'' Sergeant Peter Muldrew, of the Oamaru highway patrol, said.
Police were still investigating the crash late yesterday and could not release the name or age of the man.
However, the Otago Daily Times understands it was well-known Kakanui tomato grower Graeme Ormandy.
Mr Ormandy, the only occupant, was driving north on Fortification Rd with a load of tomatoes on the deck of the late model Toyota Hi-lux, believed to be heading to the co-operative store at the Totara railway siding.
A truck and trailer unit carrying hay was travelling east on Springfield Rd.
''Early indications are the truck driver failed to give way at the signs at the intersection,'' Sgt Muldrew said.
The truck driver, who was not injured in the crash, told police he did not see the utility until he was partway through the intersection.
The utility hit the truck unit behind the second front axle, then slid along the side.
It was thrown back and to the side of the intersection.
Tomatoes in plastic bins flew all over the intersection and on to the back of the truck.
They were hosed from the road by fire units from Kakanui and Weston.
Sgt Muldrew said the ute driver walked from his vehicle and to the ambulance when it arrived. He was taken to Oamaru Hospital with visible injuries, treated and discharged.
Whether anyone would be prosecuted would depend on police investigations, Sgt Muldrew said.
Four people in a car hit by a truck at Pukeuri late on Thursday escaped without injury, despite major damage to their 1991 Nissan Cefiro.
The car was parked partly in a driveway and partly on the road just north of the State Highway 83 intersection with State Highway 1 about 10pm.
A truck travelling north came around a bend, hit the right rear side of the car, then ricocheted across the southbound lane, where it hit and brought down a concrete power pole.
It continued for about 150m past where it hit the car, back across the northbound lane then up a bank and into a fence, falling on its side and dropping its load.
The live electric wires caused a fire which spread along about 30m of pine trees next to the concrete reservoir holding the water supply for Alliance Group's Pukeuri works.
Oamaru police acting Sergeant Carl Pedersen said the driver of the truck and occupants of the car were not injured.
