Men killed in crash near Hastings named

The two men killed in a crash near Te Hauke south of Hastings
yesterday have been identified by police.

Clarence Collier, 40, of Bridge Pa and Bruce Cardie, 52, of
Flaxmere died when their vehicle plunged 600 metres off a
dangerous rural road.

The police Serious Crash Unit is continuing its investigation
into the crash.

Police were alerted to the crash yesterday morning after a
farm worker came across the wreckage on a farm property on
Burma Rd, off SH2. The Hastings fire service rescue team also
attended.

Eastern District communications manager Kris McGehan said the
car had rolled about 600m. Police believed the crash had
happened on Sunday night and no other vehicles were involved.

Hastings road policing supervisor sergeant Kevin Stewart said
the Honda had gone off Burma Rd, which runs off SH2, and down
a hill into the paddock below before it came to rest on its
side.

Mr Collier, the driver was found dead in the vehicle. Mr
Cardie, a front-seat passenger, had been thrown from the
vehicle and his body was found some metres from the car. The
farm worker assisted police in moving the bodies of the
deceased with a quad bike and trailer.

Mr Stewart said he didn't believe speed was a factor. It was
too early to know whether alcohol was a factor but that was a
consideration, he said.

The crash was on an unsealed park of Burma Road and ran
alongside steep farmland without barriers.

"It's a gravel road, really dangerous; it's not used a lot
and if you don't have your wits about you chances of survival
are not good at all.''

As of yesterday, the number of fatal road crashes in New
Zealand this year was 90. In April last year, the yearly
national road toll was at 78.

Farmers along the isolated road declined to comment when
approached by Hawke's Bay Today yesterday.

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2014/04/29/men-killed-in-crash-near-hastings-named/