Woman Critically Injured In Drink Drive Crash

A woman is in a critical condition and another is in a serious condition after a drunk driver lost control and crashed into them as they prepared to have a coffee by the side of the road.

The crash happened around 11.40am in Old Hautere Road, between Otaki and Te Horo. There was a open day for gardens in the area and the two women aged 69 and 62, from Te Horo, were visiting the event.

They had just returned to their Honda saloon which was parked with all four wheels up on a grass verge and decided to have a coffee. The older woman sat in the driver’s seat with her feet outside of the car and the younger woman sat on the grass.

A Subaru stationwagon came around a bend in the road, lost control on the left then veered across the road crashing into the rear of the parked Honda. The woman in the driver’s seat was thrown from the vehicle, over a fence and into a paddock. She was airlifted to Palmerston North Hospital where she is in a critical condition. The 62-year-old woman on the grass was taken by land ambulance to the same hospital and is in a serious condition.

The 37-year-old man from Lower Hutt who was driving the Subaru received minor injuries. Despite being 11.30 in the morning he was processed for being three times over the legal drink drive limit and he will appear in court in November.

Anyone who saw this crash, or has any information which might assist, is asked to contact Otaki Police on 06 364 7366.

ENDS

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