Police have located a suspended driver who allegedly fled a crash that killed a 71-year-old woman in Hamilton today.
The elderly woman was a rear passenger in a car that collided with a ute at the intersection of Te Rapa Rd and Avalon Dr about 12.35pm.
The woman died at the scene and four of her family members were taken to Waikato Hospital, Police Sergeant Phil Ruddell said.
One of them, a child, was believed to have suffered moderate injuries.
The ute allegedly fled the accident but was followed by a member of the public who called police.
"It was recovered by police at a Pukete address a short time later thanks to the assistance of that member of the public," Inspector Marcus Lynam said.
A 26-year-old woman, a suspended driver, had been located by police. She and the driver of the other car would be interviewed when all had received medical treatment, he said.
Mr Lynam said it was too early to determine if either driver was at fault and whether any charges would be laid over the crash, which happened at an intersection controlled by lights.
The dead woman became the first fatality of the official Christmas period.
It was not known if the family was from Hamilton.
"Condolences go out to the families of the people involved in this crash and also all of those witnesses who saw the crash, and my emergency services colleagues who've had to deal with such a thing on Christmas Day," Mr Ruddell said.
- By Natalie Akoorie of the New Zealand Herald
