Police want to determine whether there were any self-admissions to Southland Hospital following reports of three people fleeing from a crash on the Bluff Highway.
Red tape could yesterday be seen wrapped around a blue Holden Commodore on the side of the road between Kent Street and Motu Rimu Road, near the turnoff on State Highway 1 to the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter.
Skid-marks in the mud led to the vehicle, which was damaged with the front bumper hanging off and parts sprawled about.
A police spokeswoman confirmed officers were alerted to a crash about 7pm on Sunday, but when they arrived, the occupants of the vehicle involved were nowhere to be seen.
A witness told police they saw the occupants get out of the crashed vehicle and jump into another before speeding off.
