Driver took out motorway barrier before fleeing: police

A driver took out a 100m section of median barrier on Dunedin's Southern Motorway before absconding from the early-morning crash, police say.

Officers were called to the scene on State Highway 1 between the Fairfield and Saddle Hill on-ramps about 3.35am today, a spokesman said.

A vehicle in the southbound lane crashed into the median barrier and ‘‘took out 100 metres of it, and then... spun out and collided with the outer barrier’’.

There was ‘‘extensive damage to the car’’ and it was found facing oncoming traffic.

‘‘It appears the driver of the vehicle then decamped shortly afterwards after getting into another car and travelling north towards Dunedin,’’ the spokesman said.

The vehicle was towed from the scene and inquiries were ongoing to identify the driver.