Taupō crash injuring Canadian hockey players

The story so far

A van and an SUV collided head-on on State Highway 5 near Rangitāiki School, near Taupō, on a Sunday morning, injuring 12 people, four of them seriously.^{23, 24 Mar 2025} The injured included members of touring Canadian youth hockey teams, and nine patients were airlifted to Waikato Hospital.^{24, 27 Mar 2025} The 57-year-old woman driving the SUV was charged, and she appeared in Tauranga court facing 11 charges.^{24 Mar 2025} She was later sentenced in Tauranga District Court on four counts of careless driving causing injury, and some of the injured face months of recovery.^{27 Mar 2025}

Latest

The driver has been sentenced in Tauranga District Court for four counts of careless driving causing injury. Earlier reports cited 11 charges, so the stories differ on the number of counts.^{24, 27 Mar 2025}

Key moments

1. 23 Mar 2025Driver charged after a head-on van and SUV crash injures 12 people.
2. 24 Mar 2025Injured include touring Canadian youth hockey team members; nine airlifted to hospital.
3. 24 Mar 2025Driver appears in Tauranga court facing 11 charges.
4. 27 Mar 2025Driver sentenced in Tauranga District Court for four counts of careless driving causing injury.

Written from the stories below; each sentence links to its sources.