Fatal car smash 'felt like earthquake'

Photo / Martin Sykes

Witnesses have described the horrific scene when a speeding car fleeing police crashed into a pole, killing a passenger and seriously injuring the driver and two other passengers.

They also said the impact of the Mitsubishi Lancer car felt like an earthquake.

A 26-year-old was killed, the driver and another passenger critically injured, and another passenger seriously injured when the car crashed in central Christchurch early yesterday.

Police are investigating whether the four men and two women, aged between 18 and 27, were boy racers.

The accident happened just before police arrested 30 of the 140 boy racers who had gathered to block a motorway onramp 10km north of the city.

There had been rumours that boy racers were planning trouble in reaction to Christchurch City Council's tough new bylaws on boy racers.

Restaurant manager Sherry Dhamija was first on the scene after the Mitsubishi Lancer took off and crashed near the corner of Manchester St and Moorhouse Ave after being stopped by police about 1.30am. "They tried to turn into Moorhouse Ave but they were too fast," he said.

The occupants, including the front seat passenger who later died at the scene, were unconscious when he got to the car.

"He was still breathing very slowly and the blood was coming from his head and then he stopped breathing.

"The guy behind him, his legs were smashed. The girl in the back seat was upside down. When they were taking out the girl she was moaning a little bit.

"I tried to reach them but I couldn't because the car was totally collapsed on one side."

Dhamija said a backseat passenger tried to run away from the crash and was apprehended by a police officer in the restaurant car park. "He was abusing the police saying 'leave me alone you motherf****rs'."

Bus driver Raajew Singh was having a coffee at a cafe when the crash happened.

"I heard and I felt the earth move. It was a thud and several people stood up and somebody said 'was that an earthquake?',"he said.

Canterbury road policing manager Al Stewart could not confirm whether those involved in the crash had links to boy racers. "They are from that demographic but until the investigation has run its course I can't say for sure."

Mayor Bob Parker said the accident was a "sad tragedy".

"It's just a tragedy for everyone involved. And it would appear to be an accident that was absolutely avoidable."

The 30 people arrested were bailed and will appear in the district court in the next three weeks, said Al Stewart.

Parker applauded the police action. "I think the number of arrests sends a very clear message. Police made a strong statement and acted."

The death is the ninth associated with police chases in less than a year. Three weeks ago, a 22-year-old man in Christchurch was killed when his car hit a tree while trying to get away from police.