By Emily Norman
Emily.norman@age.co.nz
A young woman was trapped in the driver’s side of a van after a two-vehicle crash on SH2 in Masterton on Friday.
The woman had been travelling in the north-bound lane at Opaki when she collided with a turning Watson & Sons ute just past Hansells at 3.20pm.
The van bore the brunt of the crash.
Wellington Free Ambulance paramedics stabilised the woman at the scene while the Masterton Fire Service prepared to cut her out of the van.
Fire chief Mike Cornford said the crash had trapped the woman “quite severely”, but fire crews were able to pull the vehicle apart “rapidly” to free her.
Several police cars were at the scene, and both lanes of SH2 were blocked between Opaki Bridge and Loopline for about an hour. Diversions were in place.
Police Constable Nick Atherley said it was still early stages of the investigation and the female driver of the van had not been spoken to.
He said speed was not a factor and it was unlikely that the rain had affected driving conditions substantially.
“It would appear that the ute had slowed and was turning to the junction and then this camper van has come in from behind and collided with the back end of the ute,” he said.
He could not confirm whether the woman was the sole occupant.
Watson & Sons did not wish to comment.
