The single-vehicle crash was reported around 5am on Selwyn Rd near Robinsons Rd, a police spokesperson said.
The man driving the ute died at the scene.
"The serious crash unit responded to the scene and enquiries are ongoing into the circumstances of the crash," the police spokesperson said
Selwyn Rd was closed and diversions were in place.
Michael Hunt was one of the first people at the scene of the crash and said, when he saw the aftermath, he knew there was “no chance of survival”.
Hunt said he heard a “bang” in the early hours of the morning.
He called 111 immediately and was told by emergency services to see if anyone was alive or if there were any passengers.
He told the NZ Herald: “Police turned up five minutes later and told us to go have a cuppa and that they would come see us. As soon as we saw it we knew there was no chance of survival.”
Hunt told Chris Lynch Media he "grabbed a torch, went outside and down the driveway and could see a ute up against the tree".
"Four doors were pushed back into the tray of the ute," he told Chris Lynch Media.
"It was an absolute brutal mess.
"I tried to reach past the airbags to see if anyone else was inside, but it was too hard to tell."
-With NZ Herald
