Sergeant Steve Watt said a 24-year-old Brazilian woman was flown to Dunedin Hospital from the crash scene in a serious condition after eventually being freed from the vehicle she was driving.
Her vehicle crashed into a shelter belt of trees on a straight section of the road, governed by an 80kmh speed limit.
The car was ''extensively damaged'' and the fire service had a ''long and technical extraction'' to free her, Sgt Watt said.
The unwarranted and unregistered vehicle had been towed and a blood sample had been taken from the woman in Dunedin Hospital, while the serious crash unit was also consulted.
"We're just covering off all the bases,'' Sgt Watt said.
A St John spokeswoman said two ambulances were sent to the scene after being alerted at 6.27pm on Saturday.
