Motorist dead, two St John staff injured after car crashes into ambulance

A person has died after a crash involving a vehicle and a St John ambulance in Cambridge in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Police were called to the incident on Tīrau Rd (State Highway 1) in Waikato about 3.40am.

In a statement, police said a vehicle had crashed into the back of an ambulance.

The driver died at the scene.

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The driver of the ambulance was airlifted to Waikato Hospital in a critical condition. Another ambulance staff member, inside the vehicle at the time, was moderately injured.

There were no patients in the ambulance.

At 7.50am Te Whatu Ora, Health New Zealand Waikato spokesperson Andrew McAlley said one patient was in theatre in a serious condition and another patient was in a stable condition in the Emergency Department.

The Serious Crash Unit is investigating the scene and the road is expected to be closed for some time.

St John said the organisation is assisting police but its injured staff are the priority.

“Our focus right now is to support our people and our thoughts are with them, their wider family, and friends at this difficult time,” deputy chief executive of ambulance operations Dan Ohs said.

St John spokesperson Amy Milne said two ambulances, two rapid response vehicles, one clinical manager and one helicopter had responded to the crash.

One patient was airlifted to Waikato Hospital in a critical condition and another was taken to hospital in a moderate condition by ambulance.

Waipā mayor Jim Mylchreest said he hadn’t heard much about the crash.

”It is an absolutely shocking accident and my heart goes out to everyone involved.”

Mylchreest wasn’t completely sure where on SH1 it occurred, but said there was a history of serious crashes at the intersections along that stretch, by the Mobil service station and Piarere intersection, after the end of the Waikato Expressway.