Northland District Commander, Superintendent Matt Srhoj:

At around 8.40 pm on Saturday 4 January Police were in attendance at a single vehicle collision on State Highway 14, Maungatapere near the intersection with Kokopu Block Road.

Several Police officers were on site. They were all wearing high-visibility garments and the patrol vehicles had their red and blue lights flashing.

While at the scene, a second vehicle has veered across the road and collided with the front of one of the patrol vehicles. The driver of the first vehicle was being spoken to by a police officer in that patrol vehicle.

Both the Police officer and the first driver received minor injuries.

Another Police officer received moderate injuries after being hit as he attempted to evade the out-of-control vehicles.

The driver of the second vehicle also received minor injuries. All injured parties were taken to Whangarei Hospital and later discharged.

Early indications are that the second driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel and lost control of their vehicle. Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash but cannot be confirmed until toxicology results are returned. Any potential charges for this driver will be considered in due course.

We are extremely grateful that our staff are all going to be okay. They will be sore for a while, but their injuries could have been much worse. We are supporting them and their families while they recover at home.

Police also acknowledge the driver of the first vehicle who was also injured when the patrol vehicle was struck.

We are lucky not to be dealing with a fatality here. This incident highlights the risks of driving while under the influence and driving while tired, and we urge people not to drive if they are impaired in any way.

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