Whangārei mum Annalea Jenkins, partner Trey Quinn and baby Willow hope a driver who smashed into the back of their car then took off hands himself in to police. Photo / John Stone.
Whangārei mum Annalea Jenkins, partner Trey Quinn and baby Willow hope a driver who smashed into the back of their car then took off hands himself in to police. Photo / John Stone.
First-time Whangārei mum Annalea Jenkins was terrified when she discovered her 4-week-old daughter covered in shattered glass after a van slammed into the back of their car.
The 20-year-old mum, her partner Trey Quinn and baby Willow were stopped at the Maunu Rd/SH1 intersection at bout 7pm on Wednesday whena male driving a van failed to stop and rear-ended the young family's Mazda car.
The back window shattered and covered baby Willow with glass as she lay in her car seat.
But instead of stopping to make sure no one was injured the van driver reversed and sped off towards Whangārei Hospital.
"I actually thought the car had blown up because it was such a huge bang. We looked at each other and then looked behind and realised someone had smacked into us," Jenkins said.
"I was like I hope she isn't dead. I was really shaken.
"My partner leapt out of the car and opened the back door to check Willow was okay. It was terrifying. She's so small and was covered in glass. We had to brush it all off her."
Jenkins said they had just pulled out of their driveway and were waiting at the lights to head north along Western Hills Drive when the lights changed from red to green.
There were four other vehicles in front of them and they were yet to move off when they were hit.
A van crashed into the back of this car shattering the glass and spilling it over a four-week-old baby in the back seat. Photo/ Supplied
"The guy just sat there for a few seconds and he must have seen the baby in the back. Then he reversed and drove off."
Surprisingly Willow didn't cry but was "wide-eyed" following the loud noise.
Jenkins' partner drove round the corner heading towards the hospital thinking the van driver had stopped. However the light blue-coloured van, with black bars on the front, was nowhere to be seen.
She called police but as no one was injured no officers attended although an alert was put out to officers with the description of the van.
Jenkins called a family friend who delivered her and Willow home safely.
Once Willow was settled Jenkins took to Facebook to post about the crash, hoping someone in the area might have seen it or the van and got the registration number.
She was overwhelmed by the caring responses and the fact the post had been shared many times.
Yesterday Jenkins took police advice and went to the Whangārei police station to make a report. She had also contacted the insurance company to find out how soon it would be before they could get a replacement vehicle.
"It's really frustrating having to do this when I have such a young baby."
And to the driver of the van she had a concise request: "I would hope you go to police and let them know it was you involved in this crash. You should have stopped to see if we were alright."
Anyone who has information about the crash should contact Whangārei police on 09 430 4500 or anonymously on Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.
