One person is now in Whakatāne Hospital in a critical condition following a crash near Appleton Road in Ōpōtiki this morning
Police were advised of the accident at 3.10am.
A Police spokesperson says, "it appeared to be a single vehicle crash, where a car collided with a power pole, and the driver looked to have been the sole occupant of the car."
The accident forced the closure of State Highway 2 between Paerata Ridge and Woodlands Roads for much of the morning. The road re-opened just before 10.30am.
Sergeant Chris Howard says, the serious crash unit are at the scene conducting an investigation.