Runaway car hits 18-year-old man

An 18-year-old man is in Tauranga Hospital after being hit and trapped by a runaway car at a Bellevue property this morning. 

Emergency services were called to the crash in Seymour Place around 9.30am where the young man was hit by a car that rolled down a driveway narrowly missing another person before skimming the side of a house and colliding with a large bush.

The white sedan crashed down a driveway hitting and pinning an 18-year-old man beneath.

The man was freed and taken to Tauranga Hospital by St John Ambulance with moderate injuries.

The white sedan was parked in a level car port at the top of the property when it began to roll downhill.

Neighbour Sativa Dagg witnessed the crash and says she screamed at her friends to move when she saw the car rolling down the driveway.

“I was saying goodbye to them and the car started rolling down the hill.

“I screamed out to them; it all happened really slowly.

“It hit my friend, flipped him and landed on top of him.

The car crashed down the side of the property before hitting the man and pinning him beneath.

Sativa says her screams attracted another neighbour who rushed over and helped her lift the car off the man.

She says the car is known to be “dodgy”.

Neighbours witnessed the car rolling down the drive.

The car narrowly missed the side of a house rented by Catherine O’Dwyer, who called the fire brigade when she heard loud screams.

“We were just inside and we heard this almighty crash; we came out and a guy was under the car.”

Tauranga Police constable Luke Perrott says the injured male appeared to be okay and walked to the ambulance.

“He is okay from what I have seen.”

The man is being treated in Tauranga Hospital.

Emergency services were called to the crash in Bellevue.