Three youths charged for street race incident

Amy Duncan lost her leg after a car spun out of control during an illegal street race and hit her. Photo / Supplied

Three youths face criminal charges over a street race that ended with a girl being so badly injured that she had to have her leg amputated.

The police investigation has taken nearly four months - largely owing to alleged false statements about who was driving.

Amy Duncan, 17, was out with friends on April 9 - a week before she was due to join the Navy as a communications specialist - when she was struck by a car at the bottom of Manuka Rd, Glenfield.

It is understood the boys were in Ms Duncan's wider circle of friends.

This week, the Waitemata serious crash unit arrested three 18-year-old youths in relation to the incident.

Sergeant Stu Kearns said the teenagers delayed the investigation by misleading police on who was driving.

"A large component of that [time taken to investigate] was because several of the parties told lies to police, gave a false statement to police ... that's why one's been charged with that ... which was making the investigation difficult," he said.

One young man has been charged with giving a false statement to police. The other two have been jointly charged with illegal street racing causing injury, and one is also charged with drink-driving.

The three defendants are due to appear in the North Shore District Court late this month.

The maximum penalty for illegal street racing causing injury is a $20,000 fine, five years' imprisonment and a minimum of one year's disqualification.

Meanwhile, Ms Duncan is trying to get on with life as an amputee, but her mother, Julie Duncan, said she was not fooled by her daughter's brave face.

"Deep down it's obviously affecting her ... oh yeah," she told the Weekend Herald.

It is nearly four months since the crash at the bottom of Manuka Rd, which has a downhill, winding stretch for several kilometres to a boat ramp.

A group of teenagers were gathered at the site - a congregation spot known to police - when the car hit Ms Duncan. Friends rushed to her aid and called emergency services.

She was taken to Auckland City Hospital, where surgeons amputated her leg at the knee.

For weeks after, the former Glenfield College student was in and out of the operating theatre - heavily sedated.

Manuka Rd residents said the street was a known hooning spot, but police spoke to others who claimed the contrary. Officers assessed the site and did not recommend any changes to the North Shore City Council.