At 12.20pm on Tuesday 12/7/2016 a blue Ford station wagon was being driven east on St Helens Point Road, Stieglitz by a 24 year old St Helens man. The vehicle left the sealed road surface onto the grass verge where it has lost traction, sliding sideways for approximately 40 metres before impacting heavily with a tree.

Emergency services were soon on the scene and provided assistance to the unconscious driver who was trapped in the vehicle. The driver, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, was stabilised before being extricated from the vehicle. He has been flown by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter to the Royal Hobart Hospital in a serious condition.

Weather conditions at the time were poor with strong winds and heavy rain. Preliminary investigations indicate that excessive speed was a likely contributing factor to this crash.

St Helens Police would like to speak to any person who may have seen the vehicle travelling in the St Helens area that morning.

Tasmania Police remind all motorists to heed weather forecasts and always drive to the conditions.