A crashed vehicle lying in the bottom of the Karangahake Gorge is due to be removed from its resting place over the coming week.

'I spoke to them [Higgins] on Friday and it will be one day this week. I will find out more today when they get back to me,” says Paeroa Towing Services owner Michael Small.

Emergency services were called to Karangahake Gorge early on Saturday, April 1, following one person being injured after driving a stolen vehicle into the water.

The vehicle lying on rocks below SH2 in Karangahake Gorge. Photo: Michael Small/Paeroa Towing Services.

Police say they were made aware of a vehicle stolen from a property on Kenny St in Waihi at around 3.30am that day.

"The driver of the vehicle failed to stop when signalled by Police," says a police spokesperson.

"Police did not pursue the vehicle."

Police say the vehicle continued driving and was driven off SH2, Karangahake and went into the water.

"The driver of the vehicle was located in undergrowth nearby and has been taken to hospital to have injuries assessed."

The vehicle lying on rocks below SH2 in Karangahake Gorge. Photo: Michael Small/Paeroa Towing Services.

More than a week later, drivers through Karangahake Gorge are still noticing the Toyota lying on its side on the rocks below the state highway.

Michael says he was keen to lift it out over the Easter weekend.

'It looks difficult but it's not a hard job and should take about 20 minutes.

'I suggested we did it at 6am on Easter Sunday as that's usually the lightest traffic time. Traffic was dead on Sunday at that time but they want to do it this week.”

Paeroa Towing Services owner Michael Small with the vehicle lying on rocks below SH2 in Karangahake Gorge. Photo: Paeroa Towing Services.

Michael lives next to the Ohinemuri River which winds below SH2, between Paeroa and Waihi, through the canyon.

He became aware of the crash when he woke to helicopters flying over his house.

'The two helicopters lit me up at 3am for an hour looking for the driver. He went over the edge and then was in the river holding on to a branch trying to hide.”

Michael has been providing a towing service for around 20 years, working for the business for 17 years before becoming the owner/operator for the last four.

He says Karangahake Gorge 'isn't a massive crash area”.

'Usually some nose-to-tails.

The vehicle lying on rocks below SH2 in Karangahake Gorge. Photo: Michael Small/Paeroa Towing Services.

'I get more crashes in and around Paeroa than in the gorge. Usually the gorge is just a breakdown area, as people are aware of driving safely through there.

'It's usually the first and last day of a long weekend that I'm busy, when people are travelling to and from their holiday destination.”

SunLive will update this once the date of the vehicle removal is known.