Man who fled fatal crash scene still to be interviewed

A driver who fled the scene of a fatal crash in Auckland early this morning was undergoing hospital treatment before being interviewed by police.

Police said a 23-year-old man from Shamrock Park was killed when two cars collided head-on in Chapel Rd, Flat Bush, about 4.15am.

The driver of the other vehicle left the scene before police arrived.

Police said no one else was involved in the crash, which ended with one of the cars on its roof and extensive damage to both vehicles.

Witnesses told police the fleeing driver was picked up by another vehicle. He was found by police later today.

Counties Manukau police spokeswoman Kimberley Mathews said investigators had been hoping to interview the surviving driver today.

However, the man had asked to be taken to hospital before that could happen. He was not in a serious condition.

"They were hoping to interview him as soon as he was able to - as soon as he was either out of hospital or in a condition where he could be interviewed,'' Ms Mathews said.

The police serious crash unit was investigating but it was not yet known if alcohol or speed was a factor in the crash.

Ms Mathews said a blood test would be carried out to determine whether the surviving driver had been drinking at the time of the crash.

Any decision on charges was still down the track, she said.

"The investigation will need to go for a little bit longer before it can be established exactly what happened.''

The name of the dead driver would not be released until tomorrow at the earliest, as some family members were still to be notified.

Police this morning closed Chapel Rd at the intersection with Ormiston to the south and Stancombe to the east, and diversions were in place.