An internationally recognised medical expert has been killed in a crash near Kinleith, near Taupō.

Dr Regina Katzenschlager, 61, of Austria, died following the crash between a car and a truck on State Highway 1 on April 21, police said today.

At the time of the late-night crash, police said one person died and another was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Katzenschlager was the president of the Austrian Parkinson Society, according to an obituary posted on behalf of the organisation’s board.

The obituary, translated from the original German, described her as an outstanding neurologist and internationally recognised expert in the field of movement disorders.

It said news of her tragic death was a shock, and her loss left an irreplaceable void.

She had significantly shaped the care of Parkinson’s disease patients in Austria and was committed to research aiming to improve their quality of life.

She joined the society’s board in 2007 and became its president in 2023.

She had previously been elected the first woman president of the Austrian Society for Neurology in 2012, having joined its board in 2005.

Katzenschlager also had roles in several international bodies in the profession, including the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

She was described as having a rare ability to combine seriousness and lightness, and as an inspiring colleague.

The obituary said that for many colleagues she was also a friend. She also left behind her beloved family.

Police said inquiries into the circumstances of the crash continued.