The King’s Birthday long weekend road toll has risen to two after a person died in a crash in eastern Bay of Plenty last night, police say. 

The death after a single vehicle crash on State Highway 35 in Omaio, Ōpōtiki at 8.40pm comes after a motorist died in Kaikohe on Saturday night. 

“Despite the best efforts of emergency services, the person died at the scene”, police said in media releases for both incidents. 

The Serious Crash Unit attended both incidents, the circumstances of which are being investigated. 

In the first incident, a man died in a single vehicle crash at 5.30pm on Saturday. The driver rolled his vehicle on a gentle bend and crashed into trees on Te Pua Rd in Kaikohe, police said. 

The official holiday period ends at 6am tomorrow. It began at 4pm on Friday. One person died over the King’s Birthday long weekend last year. 

 The Temuka-Orari Highway is closed after the two-vehicle crash between Te Awa and Rise Rds at 11.20am. Temuka is 20km north of Timaru. 

“One person has been seriously injured. Diversions are in place down Springfield Rd and Rise Rd.” 

A Manawatū road has also been closed after a truck crashed just before 11.30am, police said. 

The crash occurred on Saddle Rd, near Ashhurst, 15km northeast of Palmerston North. 

“Detours are in place, and motorists are advised to expect delays.” 

This long weekend’s two deaths follows those of five people in a catastrophic two-vehicle crash on State Highway 3 near Te Awamutu on Tuesday. 

An elderly couple died in one car. They were Paul and Lois Grimmer, Stuff reported. 

The three people in the other vehicle were Piata Ofufangavalu, Cheyene Love-Mitchell and Suliasi Lefai