Charges against a Rotorua man accused of dragging a woman behind his vehicle for a kilometre have been upgraded to kidnapping.
The man was charged after the woman suffered critical injuries to nearly all of her body when she was dragged along State Highway 1 yesterday.
The 26-year-old man was originally facing a driving charge, but police tonight said he would now appear in the Rotorua District Court tomorrow morning charged with kidnapping.
The 37-year-old woman was in a stable condition at Waikato Hospital's High Dependency Unit, where she was likely to stay overnight, a spokeswoman said.
She said the woman wanted to thank people for their concern and support.
However, she now wanted privacy, the spokeswoman said.
The incident happened between Putaruru and Tokoroa early yesterday afternoon.
TVNZ named the woman as Ana Eriepa.
It was understood she was trying to escape an alleged kidnapper when she climbed out the back of the car, but was caught up and dragged about 1km over coarse asphalt.
Horrified motorists travelling between Putaruru and Tokoroa watched the drama unfold from their cars, saying the woman's body was "like a dummy bouncing up and down".
One source said blood stretched a kilometre along the road.
She was responsive when medics reached her at the small settlement of Lichfield.
Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner said witnesses described the woman falling from the boot of a dark coloured Subaru sedan before being dragged for a substantial distance.
Police wanted to speak to anyone who saw the Subaru sedan between Rotorua and Putaruru late yesterday morning and early yesterday afternoon.
Mr Turner said police have had excellent cooperation from a number of witnesses to event, but they needed help to establish how and where the woman came to be in the boot of the car.
She was flown by Westpac rescue helicopter to the intensive care unit at Waikato Hospital with serious damage to her lower legs, pelvis and head.
One source said the incident was thought to be domestic-related.
It was understood the woman was trying to flee her alleged kidnapper through the car's rear hatch when she became snared.
Horrified motorists behind the car raised the alarm at 1.47pm as the vehicle drove north towards Putaruru.
Witness Bernard Trumper was driving his tractor slowly along the main road when he came across the car and the injured woman lying on the road.
Mr Trumper positioned his tractor across the highway to stop other traffic hitting the woman and went to her assistance.
She was in "a hell of a mess", said another Lichfield man.
"I've heard that there was a girl that was trapped in the boot of a car and they didn't stop and she was dragged behind, for about a kilometre I'd say - from the chook farm in Lichfield to the Lichfield straight."
Police have reopened the five-kilometre stretch of State Highway 1 to one lane, but are advising motorists that there will continue to be delays and to avoid the area if possible.
