Police dumbfounded at Hamilton crash

Police who attended the scene of a crash in Hamilton last night were left dumbfounded.

The crash involving a single car happened on Waverly Rd just outside Hamilton about 10.30pm, Senior Sergeant Kevin Anderson, of Hamilton police, said.

"We arrived to find a Toyota Starlet hatchback had left the road with five people aboard.

"All had been drinking including the young female driver who only has a learner's licence and we were told she was driving because she was the most sober of the group who were travelling to Auckland from Te Aroha."

All five people in the car had been drinking and the driver said she lost control after being distracted by a passenger who was passing her another alcoholic drink, Mr Anderson said.

The group was taken to Waikato Hospital by ambulance suffering minor injuries.

Mr Anderson said police were dumbfounded that the group would try to drive to Auckland in such a condition.

"Just four nights earlier three Gisborne teenagers lost their lives in somewhat similar circumstances."

- NZPA