Partygoers blamed for wrecking car

Police run to assist their colleagues as youths spill out onto the street following a party.

A car belonging to a charity was trampled on until its roof and windshield caved in, on the same night a "Facebook party" attracted up to 1500 young people in Napier.

Students Against Dangerous Driving New Zealand CEO Anna Braidwood said her organisation's car was believed to have "fallen victim" to roving youths after police closed down a Rutherford Rd party in the Napier suburb of Marewa about 1.30am on Sunday.

Police said the party, which was advertised on Facebook with an "open invite", attracted up to 1500 revellers, and 15 arrests were made before it was shut down.

According to Facebook posts, it had an entry fee, which covered the cost of a DJ, security and "clean-up", and was the second run by the organisers. Another is planned.

Ms Braidwood said she was "gutted" to discover extensive damage to the marked car, which had been parked overnight on the verge outside her residence on Kennedy Rd.

"I was really, really disappointed. It was not a good Easter Sunday." It appeared a group of people had jumped all over the car.

"They have obviously jumped on the roof, caved it in, and jumped on the windshield and shattered that."

She said the vehicle, which was being parked temporarily outside her house, had probably been caught in the path of revellers from the Facebook party as they dispersed.

"I'd say we've fallen victim from the party being broken up and people moving on."

The charity would be hard hit by the cost of repairing the car, and the damage had also interfered with plans for an upcoming conference.

"We have to pay $500 in excess to get it fixed. That's money coming away from the very important activities we're doing with thousands of volunteers.

"The car is also needed for our North Island conference, which is in Napier next week.

"It couldn't have come at a worse time." SADD is a nationwide charity which aims to promote young driver safety.

Meanwhile, Georges Rd resident Corena Hodgson said she witnessed "a number of fights" on Latham St on the night of the party. She said she had returned home from a photography job at a wedding about 11.30pm on Saturday when she heard police talking over loudspeakers, asking a crowd to move back.

She saw scattered fights break out and a large group of young people refusing to move for police, while residents looked on in their dressing gowns and pyjamas.

"My partner saw a bottle being hit on someone's head."

Senior Sergeant Ross Smith of the Eastern District Command Centre said police could not prevent another Facebook party from happening, but would monitor the situation if one did occur.

"There's no law against having a party.

"Obviously we don't want that to happen again and the residents don't either."

-To make a donation to help pay for the repairs to the SADD car, visit: http://givealittle.co.nz/cause/saddcarhelp