Person dies in hit-and-run
A person has died on the footpath after a vehicle was driven into them in Glendale Rd, Glen Eden.
Garrett Raven-wells worked on the street and witnessed the event unfold. He said it looked like the vehicle purposely hit the person, and drove away just after midday yesterday.
Glen Eden resident Hugh Keal could see into the police cordon from his home. He could see someone lying on the footpath.
A woman was driving from Titirangi towards Glen Eden when she saw a car coming from the opposite direction. She said its windscreen and bonnet was “completely caved in”.‘‘a young guy was hanging out of the window so he could see because the windscreen was completely destroyed.
‘‘My friend and I thought about chasing him to see where he was going, but we decided against it and I’m glad we did now,’’ she said.
When she reached Glen Eden, she saw a body lying on the side of the road.
A Stuff reporter at the scene described the atmosphere as ‘‘tense’’.
A police cordon was set up around the west end of the shops on Glendale Rd and Glenmall Place and buses were diverted.
Detective inspector Tim Williams said police had responded to a serious incident after receiving reports of a disorder at 12.18pm in a car park off Glendale Rd.
‘‘At one point a vehicle has struck one person and then fled the scene.’’
The person had since died, and police were looking for the vehicle.
‘‘Our inquiries are still in the very early stages in establishing what has exactly occurred in this incident,’’ Williams said.
A worker at a nearby estate agent said although he and his colleague had not seen the impact itself, he had seen a black car ‘‘zooming off’’ towards West Coast Rd.
After paramedics left the scene, seven police cars remained at the incident.
A worker at Anytime Fitness said there was a large police presence outside, and they had been told to stay inside the gym.
‘‘I went outside and saw there were about 10 to 15 people standing around, and one person was crying while another was on the ground covered in blankets dead.’’
A St John spokesperson said the service had responded to a motor vehicle incident on Glenmall Place at 12.09pm.
Two ambulances had been sent to the scene. However, they were not required to take anyone to hospital, the spokesperson said.
‘‘Police are aware there were members of the public who will have witnessed the events that unfolded and we ask that they make themselves known to police at the scene, or to contact us via 105 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111,’’ Williams said.