Hitchhiker killed in crash named

A woman hitchhiker who died after the car that had just picked her up was hit by another vehicle north of Napier has been named as Petrina Whanaupani Cowan, 47, from Hastings.

Senior Sergeant Tony Dewhurst of the Napier police said Ms Cowan had been hitchhiking on State Highway 2 heading north out of Bay View, 11km from Napier, when the car in which she had just accepted a ride was struck from behind by a utility vehicle about 7.20pm on Wednesday.

"A vehicle travelling north collided with the parked car that had stopped to pick up the hitchhiker," he said.

"She had just got into the back seat and she was killed."

- NZPA