Driver leaves scene of Westshore crash

The driver of a car which launched through a Westshore property fence tried to get away from the crash possibly because she had a disqualified licence and was believed to have been under the influence of alcohol.

The 35-year-old Napier woman and the passenger of the car both left the scene after the vehicle crossed the centre line of Charles St, went over a footpath and through the fence about 6.45pm yesterday.

Hawke's Bay road police constable Scott Quate said the driver walked off but was followed by a person walking in the area.

"Police were flagged down by a member of the public who was following her and the driver was attended to by ambulance staff. She was taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital in Hastings for treatment."

St John reported the driver was treated for moderate facial injuries.

Mr Quate said the passenger also left the scene and had not fronted to any medical centre or to police last night. He expected to speak to her today, after police had a chance to interview the driver.

"Our may concern is that she is okay and by all accounts, she is."

Police believed alcohol was involved but it was unknown if speed was a factor in the crash.

"There will be charges for sure, we are just waiting for blood alcohol tests to come back. There will certainly be charges for the manner of driving and we believe the driver had a disqualified driver's licence as well."

It took police and a tow truck about 30 minutes to remove the car because the front wheels had broken and the vehicle was raised on a garden, causing problems.

Mr Quate said he met briefly with the property owners who were upset at the damage to their property.

"It happened at the time of the evening when people are out for a family stroll. There are kids riding their bikes on the footpath who wouldn't have stood a chance against the car. We are just grateful no one was on the footpath at the time."

In a seperate incident earlier in the afternoon a 50 year old man was injured when the bike he was riding became wedged in between a car and a truck on Te Mata Rd in Havelock North.

St John Hawke's Bay district operations manager Stephen Smith said the cyclist was riding towards the village and had passed through a roundabout near Durham Drive when he was forced between the two vehicles just after 5pm.

"He was squeezed between the truck and a parked car. He hit the car and fell off, missing the truck which was a concrete mixer.

"The road would have narrowed after he went through the roundabout because there's no cycle lane there (on the road)."

The cyclist was treated at the scene by St John ambulance staff and he was taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital in Hastings.

He had moderate hip injuries and some chest injuries.

Mr Smith said the truck stopped and the driver waited until emergency services arrived.

Alcohol was not a factor.

Cycling advocate Don Kennedy said the latest incident should provide enough evidence for the Hastings District Council to think about putting in a dedicate cycle lane on Te Mata Rd. Currently the cycle lane was provided on the footpath.

"It doesn't work because you can't see around the corner at Durham Drive, it's a sharp left turn when you heading towards the village and going up on to the footpath, there is a blind spot there."

Hastings deputy mayor Cynthia Bowers, who heads the iWay cycle and walking projects, said she would ask council roading staff to review the way cyclists and cars used the road. "The challenge is fitting everything in.

"We have a kindy and a high school nearby that needs parking also.

"We put quite a bit of effort into that cycle way on the footpath. Maybe it is an issue with signage and we need to make people more aware that it's an option open to them," she said.