Two people are in a serious condition, and one in a moderate condition after crashing their car into a tree in Christchurch last night.
A police spokeswoman told Chris Lynch a vehicle failed to stop for Police on Westminster Street at 3:42AM.
The vehicle was not pursued.
She said it was later located on Rutland St where it had crashed into a tree.
The driver fled the vehicle and was located after an area search.
A St John spokesperson said two ambulances attended the scene.
A local resident told Chris Lynch the crash happened outside her house.
“I woke to a cars engine going fast then heard the huge collision, which shook my house. I went to get up and my 9 year old daughter ran into my room petrified.”
“I went outside and saw the police officer and his dog running down St Albans street onto Springfield Rd. I went back around to Rutland Street and there was a bright yellow Mercedes smashed into the tree and a police car with its lights on and no one in the police car” she said.
“Within minutes multiple police cars arrived. The lady across from me saw the offender running off and said he looked really youn with his hood up.”
A few people on st Albans street came out as it shook their houses too.
“The police officer with the dog came back and I asked him if he caught the driver and he said yes the dog did.”
The crash follows yesterday’s comments from Canterbury Police District Commander Superintendent John Price who condemned the behaviour of dangerous drivers, following a spate of serious and fatal accidents in the region.