18-yr-old partygoer dead after fleeing police

A person has died after fleeing police who were attending to reports about an out-of-control party in Oropi last night. Photo / Supplied

A person has died after fleeing police who were attending to reports about an out-of-control party in Oropi, just 22km south of Tauranga last night.

Police were called to an address on Mountain Road about 11pm last night to reports that a large party had turned out of control and a person had been hit by a car as they left the party.

En route to the scene, a police car pulled up behind a car that had no tail lights close to the scene of the party.

Police said the patrol car signaled for the car to pull over, but the car accelerated away and within a few seconds disappeared over a bank.

Police said the officers in the patrol car went to assist, but the 18-year-old Tauranga man driving the vehicle was thrown from the car and died while being transported to hospital.

Police said the vehicle had reportedly been driven erratically up and down Mountain Road prior to police arrival.

The party was a private birthday party with around 150 guests, but a dozen gatecrashers had arrived at the address.

Police said one guest was struck by a vehicle as they left, but not seriously injured, and the vehicle that crashed down the bank was not the vehicle that had struck the party-goer.

Police said they were working to establish the full details of what occurred at the party and had many witnesses to speak to.

An investigation into the fatal crash had also been initiated.