Cyclist sought after crash leaves woman jogger critical

Hamilton police want to speak to a male cyclist after a woman jogger suffered critical head injuries in a head-on collision with him yesterday morning.

The accident happened on a blind corner inside a road underpass at the north end of River Rd.

The condition of the woman, a 51-year-old Japanese national living in Hamilton, deteriorated rapidly on arrival at Waikato Hospital's emergency department. She was immediately flown by the Westpac rescue helicopter to Auckland Hospital.

Police said the cyclist had stayed with the woman until ambulance staff arrived, and initial indications were that there was no malice involved on his part.

But Constable Rachel Elers, of Hamilton East, said it was important the man was spoken to.

Although police had no description of the cyclist, he reportedly had a grazed chin and possibly a swollen face as a result of the collision.

Police were also keen to speak to those people who had gathered at the scene of the accident.

* Hamilton police have arrested three men in relation to a spate of muggings in the city recently.

The men, aged 21, 22, and 18, appeared in the district court yesterday, where they entered no plea.

The charges came about after several robberies.

On January 17, an 80-year-old woman suffered a broken hip when she was knocked to the ground and her bag snatched in the suburb of Enderley.

On January 25 in Frankton, a 40-year-old woman was thrown to the ground and her bag ripped from her. She suffered a sprained ankle and grazes to her hand and knee.

On the same day, a 73-year-old woman had her bag snatched on Hukanui Rd.

Police said they were looking for a fourth man in connection with the crimes.