A 40 year old woman police officer is in Tauranga Hospital with multiple serious injuries following an early morning crash on State Highway 2 near Te Puke.

The two vehicles involved in the collision. Photo by Shady.

The head-on crash happened at about 5am on a bend just north of the Manoeka Road intersection.

The other driver is a 19 year old man, who also suffered serious multiple injuries in the crash which left both drivers trapped.

The crash blocked traffic on State Highway 2 for several hours while the drivers were removed from their vehicles and the wreckage removed.

Western Bay of Plenty Police Area Commander Inspector Mike Clement says the woman driver is a police officer based in the Western Bay of Plenty Police area.

She was off-duty at the time of the crash.

Police are currently working to notify family of both drivers, says Mike.

The serious crash investigation team has been in attendance at the scene this morning, and a senior police officer from outside the Western Bay of Plenty Police area has been appointed to oversee the crash investigation.

The road has since been cleared and diversions over Rocky Cutting Road and Reid Road lifted.

See more pictures from this crash here.

The police woman named here.