File photo. Photo: 123RF
A second person has died from their injuries after a stolen ute crashed in the Kāpiti Coast District last week, police say.
The truck was driving the wrong way up State Highway 1 on Friday last week, when it was involved in a fatal head-on collision.
Acting central district commander Inspector Clifford Brown said the stolen ute, wanted in connection to a robbery in Ōtaki on Friday evening, was signalled to stop just south of Levin shortly after 10.30pm.
Police pursued the ute but abandoned the chase "within several minutes" due to the manner of driving.
The ute continued heading south "at speed" on State Highway 1, and about 10.50pm was spotted turning back onto the highway from Waikanae, heading north in the southbound lane.
Fifteen minutes later, the ute collided head-on with another vehicle, just south of Lawlors Road.
The ute's driver was pronounced dead at the scene, whom police have named as 16-year-old Reihana Horohau Hawea from Levin.
The passenger, who was taken to Wellington Hospital in a critical condition, died yesterday.
A third passenger in the ute remains in hospital in serious condition, and two of the four people who were in the car that was hit also remain in Wellington Hospital.
The incident remained under investigation.