Fatal head-on crash on SH49

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 15, Issue 690, 10 June 1997, Page 3

Fatal head-on crash on SH49

APlunket baby seat saved a two-week-old baby from serious injury in a head-on crash on State Highway 49 on Sunday night in which a 33-year-old Te Kuiti woman died. The Mitsubishi Magna station wagon that the woman was travelling in had pulled out to pass a truck and trailer rig, ahd collided with the other vehicle, a Toyota Hilux Surf. The station wagon was travelling north-west and the Hilux, southreast. The crash occurred 100 metres east of the intersection of Mangarewa Road and State Highway 49, on a straight stretch of road about five kilometres west of Ohakune. Police said the truck continued north, possibly because

the driver was not aware of the accident. Police would like to contact the truck driver. The four other people in the station wagon suffered injuries, ranging from a broken wrist to broken bones as well as serious internal injuries. The driver of the Hilux, a Waiouru soldier, escaped serious injury, his wife was taken to hospital with a suspected neck injury and their two-week old baby suffered a bruise on the head. Police said the back seat

of the Hilux had folded forward onto the baby but the Plunket 'bucket' style baby seat had saved its life. While all the vehicles' occupants were wearing seatbelts, the combined speed of the impact meant serious injury would have been difficult to avoid, although the severity was reduced. Waimarino police, ambulance service and the Ohakune Volunteer Fire Brigade attended, having been called out at approximately 5.55pm.. Five injured people were ferried to Wanganui hospital • by helicopter, the Tranz Rail Rescue Helicopter making three trips and the Wanganui Aero Works Jet Ranger, based at Raetihi, making one.