Actor Cliff Curtis Injured in High-Speed Auckland Crash
“I am deeply saddened by this incident. My thoughts are with those who were hurt, and their families at this time,” actor Cliff Curtis said in a statement after suffering internal injuries in a high-speed collision on Auckland’s waterfront on September 23. The 58-year-old New Zealand actor was hospitalised following the crash at the intersection of Jellicoe and Halsey Streets.
The collision occurred around 10.30pm when a matte black custom Tesla driven by Curtis collided with a parked Prius taxi at Karanga Plaza, according to Newstalk ZB. Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews used hydraulic cutting gear to free the taxi driver, who was trapped inside the vehicle and later transported to Auckland City Hospital in a serious condition. A third person also suffered minor injuries in the impact, which witnesses described as a loud boom that moved the taxi three to four metres.
Curtis Provides First Aid Before Two People Reach Hospital
Despite sustaining internal injuries himself, Curtis remained at the scene to provide first aid to other injured parties until emergency services arrived, according to the statement released on his behalf and reported by Stuff. Two people were taken to Auckland City Hospital by Hato Hone St John, with one listed in serious condition and another in moderate condition.
Police confirmed that the serious crash unit is investigating the incident, and no charges have been laid. When New Zealand media visited Curtis’s lakefront property in Rotorua, a woman at the residence stated that he was resting and unavailable. Curtis’s New Zealand agent, Gabriella Larkin-Bruce, did not respond to multiple media inquiries regarding the crash.
Career Background of the Involved Actor
Born in Rotorua, Curtis has built an extensive filmography spanning local New Zealand cinema and major Hollywood productions. His local credits include prominent roles in Once Were Warriors, Whale Rider, and The Dark Horse. Internationally, his credits feature appearances in major studio releases such as Training Day, Blow, Three Kings, Live Free or Die Hard, and James Cameron’s Avatar franchise.
The statement issued on behalf of the actor noted that he is collaborating fully with relevant authorities and will not make any further public comments out of respect for the ongoing official process.
“Given this area of town, it was a very high-speed impact,” Fire and Emergency Auckland city senior station officer Michael Manning told Newstalk ZB regarding the scene at the Viaduct harbor edge.
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