Footage has emerged of a young man being flung through the air after he was struck by a car skidding at an illegal street meet.
Footage has emerged of a young man being flung through the air after he was struck by a car skidding at an illegal street meet.
Footage has emerged from an illegal street race in Hamilton where a young man is hit by a drifting car and flung metres through the air.
The video circulating on social media shows thousands of people lighting fireworks among cars doing burnouts and drifting dangerously on city streets on Saturday night.
The crowd gathers to film a car drifting in front of them, with one person walking backwards towards the action, to feature in the scores of videos being taken.
Unaware of how close the car is getting to him, he spins around just in time for the vehicle’s rear end to collide with him, sending him flying several metres into the crowd.
Onlookers jump back, with audible horrified gasps adding to the sounds of spinning tyres, fireworks and distant sirens.
Footage has emerged of a young man being flung through the air after he was struck by a car skidding at an illegal street meet.
The Herald has approached police and the St John Ambulance for comment about the incident.
Earlier police said a dozen people were arrested and over 200 infringement notices issued after more than 1000 street racers caused havoc at the event which brought traffic to a standstill.
Hamilton City Area Commander, Inspector Will Loughrin, said a baby was found in one of the cars being driven by a group of teenagers who had travelled from outside the district to be at the event.
He said there were a number of children brought to the illegal meet.
Seven people were arrested for excess breath alcohol levels, two for disorder, one for driving while suspended, one for a breach of a home detention order, and another had an existing warrant out for their arrest.
As well as the traffic notices a number of infringement notices were issued to bystanders who were drinking alcohol within liquor ban areas.
Three people also had their licenses suspended.
Loughrin said police observed unsafe behaviours.
“There were numerous instances of people blocking intersections – both pedestrians and vehicles – a number of vehicles with no number plates and people wearing balaclavas in direct attempts to hide their identities, and people seen hanging out of windows of cars driven at speed,” he said
Meanwhile, police also came across a disorder incident in which two people were stabbed shortly after 12.30am on State Highway 27 in the Matamata area.
Loughrin said it involved those taking part in the illegal street racing.
“Police are making follow-up inquiries into the circumstances of this incident,” Louglin said.
Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.
