Commuters warned of delays in Auckland, Waikato, Napier after crashes

6:41 pm on 5 February 2025

Armed police surrounded a property on Tutuki Street in the Auckland suburb of Waterview on 5 February, 2025.

Police and ambulance staff are at an incident inside a cordon in Auckland's Waterview. Photo: RNZ/ Calvin Samuel

Four people have died and commuters have been warned of delays in Auckland, Waikato and Napier, after a day of crashes and a police incident involving the Armed Offenders Squad.

A police response to an incident in the Auckland suburb of Waterview on Wednesday afternoon meant some commuters were unable to get home, with streets blocked off near Great North Road, including Tutuki Street and Fir Street - though police said Great North Road remained open.

Armed police arrested a man, after negotiating with him from outside a house.

Meanwhile, police said [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/541008/person-critically-injured-after-being-hit-by-truck-in-auckland-s-parnell a person had died after being hit by a truck earlier on Wednesday afternoon, on a busy section of The Strand in Parnell.

Police had closed The Strand between the intersections with St George's Bay and Tamaki Drive, and said there would be disruptions to traffic.

Part of SH1 closed in Waikato

A section of State Highway 1 was closed at about 4pm, near the Tamahere Road off-ramp.

There had been a single vehicle crash, but no injuries were reported, police said.

However the southbound lane was blocked, and drivers were asked to avoid the area.

Serious crash on expressway near Napier

One person has been seriously injured in a crash on the Hawke's Bay Expressway at Greenmeadows, and drivers have been told to expect delays.

The crash involving a car and motorbike happened shortly before 3.50pm on Wednesday, in the southbound lane between the Kennedy Road on-ramp and Meeanee Road off-ramp, police said.