Suspected drink driver slams into parked car

A driver crashed into the car, moving it 10 metres up the road. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times

A suspected drink-driver struck the back of a parked car in Papamoa with such force that he shunted it 10 metres up the road and on to the footpath.

The driver, a 34-year-old male, hit the right-rear of the parked car and spun to a stop in the middle of Papamoa Beach Rd, between McCullum Place and Parton Rd, at 5.30pm yesterday.

He was taken to hospital by Mount Maunganui St John with minor injuries.

Constable Dean Wooller said the man was lucky to have only clipped the parked car. "It was a car versus parked car, heading north-bound. He's basically shunted the parked car and ended up in the road. He's just clipped it - if he's gone straight up the backside it would've been a lot worse," he said.

"The driver has been taken to hospital with suspected neck injuries and alcohol is suspected to be a factor."

Cale Jamieson, 26, whose Toyota Corolla was rear-ended, was amazed by how far his car had been thrown forward.

"When he smashed into my car, he smashed it about 11 metres," he said. Mr Jamieson's car was shunted across the width of a double driveway and up on to the footpath.

He said neighbours had helped push the offending car off the road on to the beach side of the street.

Leana Koen, 24, who lives next to where the crash occurred, said the collision was irresponsible.

The driver of the car was conscious when he was removed from his car, she said. "He was pretty dazed; responsive, but very dazed.

"It's so ridiculous. There's so many kids on this road. He could've hit someone and they would've been gone."