A car allegedly involved in a hit and run crash in Taupō last night had an unsecured 4-year-old child in the back seat.
The car with a 4-year-old passenger which crashed into another vehicle after driving on the footpath did not have a child seat in it. Photo: 123RF
A 17-year-old driver - who was with two 16-year-olds as well as the 4-year-old when stopped by police - has been charged with a number of driving offences.
Police said the Nissan Bluebird had been driven from Napier to Taupō yesterday afternoon and police signalled for it to stop at about 6.15pm, but the driver fled.
Members of the public reported seeing the car driving along the footpath on Lake Terrace to overtake other vehicles, before it crashed into another vehicle at the intersection of Kaimanawa Street and Te Heuehu Street at 6.30pm, moderately injuring the elderly driver of the other car.
Inspector Chris Summerville said the vehicle responsible for the collision left the crash site, and was found by police on Rickit Street.
He said the young child had travelled a "significant distance" and been in a crash - all while unrestrained - and this had created "a situation where there could have been a more serious outcome".
"We are alarmed at both the dangerous nature of the driving, and the fact a very young child was in the car and not secured in a car seat."
The driver has been charged with reckless driving, failing to stop to ascertain injury, failing to stop for police and possession of an offensive weapon and will appear in the Rotorua Youth Court next week.
Summerville said police used a car seat and drove the four-year-old to Rotorua to reunite the child with whānau.