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Grant Matthew / Stuff
A man crashed into a tree after leaving an ‘incident’ on a bench in Paihia.
A man was seriously injured after crashing into a tree on State Highway 1 in Northland while his vehicle was being “monitored” by police.
There was no chase, police said, but a patrol was following him after an incident at a bank in Paihia on Monday morning.
Police were unable to provide further details on the incident, but said they began monitoring the man’s car as he drove south on SH1.
The car the man was driving crashed into a tree near Moerewa and he was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
The incident at the bank was reported to the police at 10:45 am, and the accident occurred an hour later at 11:45 am Moerewa is a half hour drive south of Paihia.
A man who saw part of the incident unfold on the main street in Paihia said it was not clear what happened, but that “suddenly” there were many police officers around.
He was at the Countdown supermarket at the time and said there were about six police cars on the street. Officers arrested some people, he said.
Part of SH1 was closed from Kawakawa to Pakaraka after the accident, reopening around 2.30pm.
Drivers are asked to avoid the area if possible and to expect delays.
The Serious Accident Unit has been notified. Police are still working to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident, police said in a statement.
