Driver thrown from vehicle in fatal Haast crash

Police have released the name of the man who died after being thrown from his vehicle in an accident on State Highway 6 early this morning.

He was Craig Bennett, aged 40, formerly of Haast.

Mr Bennett and his 11 year old son were travelling north from Haast about 5am today when the accident happened. Their vehicle left the road about 6km out of Haast and rolled several times before coming to rest in a paddock. No other vehicles were involved.

Mr Bennett was thrown from the vehicle in the crash.

Police have today praised Mr Bennett's son for his actions after the crash. The boy was unharmed in the accident, but was unable to find his father in the dark so ran 6km back to Haast in his socks to raise the alarm.

Mr Bennett had recently moved from the West Coast to Australia where he worked in the mining industry.

Police serious crash investigators have attended the scene and the matter has been referred to the coroner.