Tot unscathed, grandma critical after car hits pair

A toddler thrown from his grandmother's arms when she was struck by a car yesterday escaped unharmed and then ran to where she lay critically injured on the road.

The 68-year-old woman was last night fighting for her life in hospital.

She was taking her grandson, aged almost three, to the St Mary's Family Centre in Otahuhu at 9am when she was hit while crossing Great South Rd.

"She has taken the brunt of [the impact]. The child has been able to run over to her after she has been hit and was crying and saying 'nana, nana'," said Sergeant Brett Pakenham.

Eyewitnesses said the woman was either carrying the boy on her back or over her hip as she ran across the four-lane road.

The child "flew out of her arms" when the car hit the woman, witnesses told police.

Mr Pakenham said the boy had visible bruising to his head and was taken to Middlemore Hospital for a check-up.

"Considering the grandmother has suffered [critical] injuries and it appears the child has escaped with, from what I saw, just a bruise on the head, you would have to say he's very lucky to have survived that.

"He could have been thrown into the path of another car."

The driver of a late model, dark blue Holden Commodore stopped at the scene and was yesterday speaking to police about the accident. Mr Pakenham said there was no indication the car was travelling at speed.

He appealed to any witnesses to the accident, which happened near Cracroft St to contact Otahuhu police.

* A pedestrian was seriously injured at 3pm yesterday after being hit by a truck on East Tamaki Rd, Otara.