' A man was killed after crashing his car while fleeing police on the Gordonton-Puketaha Rd, north of Hamilton.
The crash happened on the south side of the intersection of Gordonton and Puketaha Roads shortly before 4pm, Waikato Road policing manager Inspector Leo Tooman, said.
"As a member of the Waikato Highway Patrol was leaving a service station on the corner of Thomas and Horesham Downs Roads he noticed a blue Mazda 323 being driven in a manner to cause concern and began to follow it."
The police officer gave chase but abandoned it after about two minutes, Mr Tooman said.
The southbound Mazda then collided with a northbound Toyota people mover carrying six people.
The 27-year-old male driver of the Mazda died at the scene from injuries sustained in the crash.
"The Highway Patrol officer witnessed the crash and immediately called for assistance before commencing to evacuate the occupants of the van, all of whom were taken by ambulance to Waikato Hospital to be checked out. None suffered life threatening injuries," Mr Tooman said.
Gordonton Rd was closed for over two hours to allow police to investigate.
"A full investigation is under way by the Hamilton CIB which will be overseen by senior police from outside the Waikato District."
The Independent Police Complaints Authority and the coroner had been advised, but it was too early to determine the cause of the crash or to confirm the victim's identity, Mr Tooman said.
The six male passengers aged between 22 and 33 years, had injuries consistent with a crash, Waikato Hospital communications consultant Amy Thomson said.
Police and emergency services were investigating. '
adopted from http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3515838/Man-dies-after-crash-ends-police-chase
