A Christchurch couple are appealing for help to identify the driver involved in a hit-and-run crash that left their vehicle written off.
The crash happened on Tuesday evening on State Highway 76 (Southern Motorway), just south of the Barrington on-ramp.
Nicole Cawood, who was in the vehicle with her partner, told chrislynchmedia.com the driver of a black 4WD Lexus, who had been driving erratically since SH73/Yaldhurst Road, rammed into the left side of their car, sending them into the median barrier.
“We were in the right lane, trying to get past a car in the left lane, when he FLEW right up my ass,” Cawood said. “I don’t know what he was thinking, but then he went into the left lane, smashed us out of the way, and continued in the right lane before moving back to the left and disappearing.
“We noticed he was an average-aged male, with a dark beard and wearing a cap, and there was a female passenger in the back seat.”
The couple escaped with only bruises, bumps and shock but were left shaken by the experience.
“Honestly, we are super lucky to walk away from that crash with no major injuries,” she said.
Video footage of the crash, captured by a bus travelling in the opposite direction, has been uploaded to the Christchurch Dash Cams Facebook page.
The footage shows two vehicles colliding, with one crashing into the median barrier after the driver lost control.
The couple’s car was written off, and the median barrier was severely damaged but successfully stopped the vehicle from crossing into oncoming traffic, likely preventing a far more serious crash.
Dean Bentley / Christchurch Dash Cams Facebook page
“It shows how good the median barrier is at stopping cars, or we would’ve flown straight into oncoming traffic,” Cawood said.
The driver of the other vehicle fled the scene. The couple believe it was a black Lexus 4WD, with a number plate possibly beginning with NQR.
Cawood said they had reported the incident to police and their insurance company, but without a full licence plate, identifying the driver has been difficult.
“We have our insurance and police are involved, but without a full plate, it makes it hard to prosecute,” she said.
Cawood said only a fire engine responded to the crash, and despite filing a police report, they have not yet received an update.
They have also requested motorway footage from NZTA, though it could take several weeks to be processed.
“We’re essentially writing to you for help to find the person who did this. They need to be held accountable for their actions, which could have killed us,” she said.
