Man charged with murder after fatal Te Puke vehicle crash

A 25-year-old man has been charged with murder following a fatal single-vehicle crash near Te Puke. The incident occurred at approximately 10.50am on Saturday, 10 October, near the intersection of Te Puke Highway and Rangiuru Rd. The man is scheduled to appear in Tauranga District Court on Monday.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Another person was taken to hospital in critical condition. A St John spokesperson noted that paramedics treated a patient at the scene.

The vehicle involved was a white 2005 Toyota Caldina. Police stated the car had been travelling at high speed down Brown Rd prior to the crash. The Serious Crash Unit has conducted an examination of the scene.

Detective Senior Sergeant Natalie Flowerdew-Brown said, "Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial for our enquiries". Police are seeking CCTV, dashcam footage, or witnesses who saw the vehicle in the Brown Rd area. Information can be provided via 105 or anonymously on 0800 555 111.

How it developed

• Mon 12 Oct, 2:34pmReport 4 added that information can be provided anonymously via 0800 555 111 and provided the specific police file number 261010/7623.

Where reports differ

• Reports differ on the spelling of the intersection road, using either Rangiuru Rd or Rangiruru Road.

Compiled from reports by Stuff, RNZ, 1News and NZ Herald.