Crash victim had to be cut from car

A tourist had to be cut from their vehicle after a driver fell asleep at the wheel and crashed on State Highway 1 yesterday.

Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond said police were called to State Highway 1 yesterday at 3pm after a vehicle rolled onto its roof and crashed into nearby train tracks just south of Waihola in Otago.

The driver of the vehicle, a tourist visiting New Zealand, had fallen asleep at the wheel, Snr Sgt Bond said.

One of the vehicle’s occupants needed to be cut out by Fire and Emergency NZ and they had sustained neck and spinal injuries.

They were airlifted to Dunedin Hospital in a serious condition.

A second occupant was driven by ambulance to hospital in a moderate condition.

The road was under stop/go management for some time but opened again about 4.10pm.

laine.priestley@odt.co.nz