It could be several weeks before a decision is made on
charges against a woman involved in a fatal crash after
allegedly fleeing a checkpoint in Blenheim, police say.
Police stopped Frances Stubbs, 20, about 9.45pm on Friday
when she returned a positive result on a preliminary breath
test.
Stubbs was asked to pull over for a second test when she sped
off, Detective Richard Rolten of Blenheim police told The
Marlborough Express newspaper.
She travelled 400m to the roundabout between Nelson and
Hutcheson Streets, where she collided with the driver's side
door of Penelope Rae Phillips' car.
Ms Phillips, 51, died at the scene.
Stubbs was taken to Wairau Hospital with minor chest
injuries.
Mr Rolten said Stubbs and several witnesses had been
interviewed, but it was unlikely charges would be laid for
several weeks due to the complexities of the investigation.
Police wanted to hear from anyone else who had seen the
crash.
The driver's father Peter Stubbs told The Marlborough Express
she was very distressed and tearful.
"She accepts she's made a terrible decision. Our family is
massively impacted...this is a nightmare and I don't know how
it will end."
Ms Phillips was one of two people killed on the roads over
the weekend.
Late on Friday night truck driver Reagan Van Welie, 36, was
killed when his truck left State Highway 1 south of Mosgiel,
Otago.
The truck collided with a large steel container and Mr Van
Welie died at the scene.
It was not yet clear what had caused the crash and police
said a post mortem would be conducted.
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