Family of Westlake High crash victim speak out five weeks after car mowed down pedestrians

The father of a student injured in a traumatic crash outside Westlake Girls' High School says his daughter was thrown 10m when struck by the car and has still not returned to school.

Five weeks on and she still has no memory of the crash.

The Nissan Skyline ploughed into a group of students at a bus stop near the Auckland high school about 8.30am on September 20.

Five students were hurt when the vehicle's driver lost control, mounted the footpath and crashed through a barrier fence on Wairau Rd.

One student suffered critical injuries and another was seriously hurt. Two others were also hospitalised. A fifth student was treated at the scene.

Three of those hospitalised were Westlake Girls' High students and one was from nearby Westlake Boys' High School.

Speaking to the Herald last night, the father of one of the victims said his daughter had not yet returned to school and remained at home recovering from her injuries.

He recalled the moment he received a call to say she had been hit.

"At first I thought she had been knocked over by a car coming out of a driveway. But when I got to Porana Rd I saw the fire engines and everything going down and panic took in."

He found his daughter had "flown about 10m" when the car hit her and police were working to pull her up from a nearby bank.

Emergency services respond to the scene of a crash near Westlake Girls' High School on Auckland's North Shore on September 20.

She was hospitalised for five days with a broken ankle, a chipped ankle, a cracked shoulder blade, a severely bruised and swollen knee and major scratches, cuts and bruises.

"She was put through x-rays, scans and all that sort of stuff but hospital staff treated her really good and real quick," he said.

She underwent surgery on her ankle, with more surgery still to come.

The father said his daughter also suffered a mild concussion and has no memory of the crash.

"Her memory for the day doesn't really exist. She didn't even see it coming.

"At this stage she still doesn't remember it. She doesn't even remember leaving home.

"She is not able to walk yet and hasn't been back to school. She will probably be off for another three or four weeks yet.

"She is doing the best she can and her brother and I are trying to do the best for her. We are just trying to keep her comfortable and happy."

Five people were injured when a car ploughed into a group of students at a bus stop near Westlake Girls' High School.

He said one of the injured Westlake Girls' High students was yet to be discharged from hospital and had "a very long haul ahead of her".

Police had interviewed his daughter last week.

"They were hoping she might remember something but she can't."

The father had many questions about how the crash happened.

"I have looked at the scene and I still can't get to grips with it. You just sit there and think it could have been worse."

The father was happy with the response of emergency services and the school.

He said the driver of the vehicle had not been in contact with the family, and they hoped he would be charged.

The vehicle, a Nissan Skyline, is removed from the scene of a crash near Westlake Girls' High School.

A police spokesperson said the crash was still under investigation.

Asked about the cause of the crash and whether charges were likely, police said: "Depending on the circumstances of each crash, these investigations can take a considerable amount of time - sometimes weeks, but usually months.

"This is due to the number of factors including enquires that need to be made with individuals, speaking to witnesses, carrying out detailed scene analysis and mapping and coordinating external agencies to assist among other things."

Police earlier said they were speaking with the driver, who was not injured in the crash.

A Westlake Girls' High spokeswoman said the school would not comment on the incident.

"We do need to respect the privacy of our injured students and are not able to provide any further details on the individual students or their welfare," she said.

David Ferguson, principal of Westlake Boys' High School, confirmed the college's injured student had returned to school.

"He's got a broken leg and it's difficult for him getting around.

"I actually saw him at lunchtime today [Tuesday], he's in good spirits and doing as well as can be expected, given the injury."

Both schools earlier told the Herald they were providing counselling support for all students and staff affected by the crash and had visited the injured pupils and their families.