The 54-year-old woman was walking her dog Apollo along Heatherlea East Rd about 4.30pm on Sunday when she was hit from behind by a car that had crossed the centre line.
She has no memory of the incident which snapped her femur, and ripped the leash from Apollo, who was later found hiding behind a nearby shed in Sorenson’s Rd. The dog had tyre marks on its body, but miraculously no broken bones.
Police are now requesting CCTV footage from anyone in the area or information from anyone who saw a woman walking a dog around Sorensons Rd or Heatherlea East Rd between 4pm and 5.30pm.
A family spokesperson said the woman had no recollection of the incident. Two motorists found her and called emergency services about 5.20pm. They also used her phone to contact her husband, who was on the scene soon after.
She was taken to Palmerston North Hospital by Hato Hone St John in a serious condition and underwent a six-hour operation for a broken femur.
She is waiting to be transferred to either Auckland or Wellington for further operations.
The family spokesperson said the woman had been through a “hell of an” ordeal and would have a long road to recovery.
They hoped witnesses might come forward, or someone with camera footage of cars in the area at the time.
“Hopefully someone knows something.”
A motorist on the scene soon after emergency services had arrived said there were clear tyre marks leading to where the woman was being treated.
He understood she had been walking on the opposite side of the road to the car, suggesting the vehicle had crossed the centre line.
