Man dies in Lower Hutt bush after stealing, crashing car

  • 14/10/2018
The intersection where the first crash took place.
The intersection where the first crash took place. Photo credit: Google Maps

A man died in bush near Wellington after crashing a car, stealing another and crashing it too.

Police were called to the scene in Lower Hutt at about 8pm on Saturday, when a speeding car crashed into two other cars near the intersection of Cambridge Tce and Naenae Rd.

The occupants of the other vehicles were left with injuries ranging from minor to moderate.

The car then rolled several hundred metres down the road and collided with several other vehicles, Stuff reports.

The driver got out of the car, leaving an injured female passenger inside. In an attempt to flee the scene he tried to flag down other vehicles, managing to stop a car being driven by a woman with children.

It's understood he tried to drag one child out of the car in his efforts to evade police. He soon gave up and stopped another car, punching the driver, reported Stuff.

He stole the car and fled up State Highway 2 for some time before crashing the stolen vehicle into a barrier on Remutaka Hill Rd - his second crash in a short space of time.

The man took off on foot into the bush at the side of the road. Police found him just before 9:30pm in a critical condition.

CPR was performed on the man, but he was pronounced dead soon afterwards. His death has been referred to the Coroner.

The serious crash unit will investigate the incident.

Newshub.