KEY POINTS:
A woman died instantly after being catapulted from a car and a man is fighting for his life after their vehicle smashed into a tree at speed in central Tauranga early yesterday .
The 24-year-old woman, who police believe was the driver, was found about 30m from the Subaru Legacy after it crossed the centre line on Fraser St near Merivale shopping centre and smashed into a tree at 12.20am.
The woman was killed instantly and the man, from Greerton, was treated for head, chest and abdominal injuries and taken to hospital in a critical condition.
It was initially feared a baby might have been involved after a baby seat, bottle and children's toys were seen in the vehicle. A second ambulance was called but no baby was found.
The Subaru Legacy was travelling south and Acting Sergeant Nigel Ramsden said it appeared the vehicle had been travelling too fast around the sweeping right-hand bend, crossing the road and hitting the tree, coming to rest down an embankment, just before the intersection of Fraser and Oxford Sts.
The impact ripped away most of the driver's side of the vehicle.
A section of Fraser St was closed to traffic until 3am.
Baycroft Ave resident Catherine Pickering, who lives nearby, was the first to arrive after the crash, describing the horrific experience to the Bay of Plenty Times.
"I heard this sound like a car speeding and then this loud boom ... I just knew they weren't going to survive that," she said.
Ms Pickering rushed out to the road and saw the car at the bottom of the hill before spotting the young woman lying motionless in the middle of the road, about 30m from the wreck.
One of the car's wheels was lying on Fraser St at the top of the bank. Ms Pickering believed the car may have rolled down the hill after it hit the tree.
She rushed to the motionless woman and checked for a pulse as neighbours emerged from their houses to help. Ms Pickering said she could not find a pulse.
"She must have gone through the windscreen or else was thrown from the car after its first roll," she said.
She said the neighbours became concerned when they spotted the baby's bottle and carseat and conducted a search in case a child had been involved.
She described the area as a black spot for speeding.
Police want any witnesses to contact them on (06) 577-4300.
- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES