NZ Herald Morning Headlines | Saturday April 25, 2026.
Lest we forget: Anzac Day is celebrated around the country today. One NZ Stadium open in Christchurch.
Video / NZ Herald
Hollie Smith says she is glad no one was hurt after a car crashed into her front yard this morning.
The Kiwi singer-songwriter told the Herald she heard a “very loud bang” about 7am outside her Tauranga home, giving her a “bit of a jolt” as she was dozingin bed.
A car had come “straight through” her front yard from a slight bend on the road, taking out “the majority of the front fence and a few trees”.
“Not what you expect to see in your front yard in the morning,” she said.
“I wouldn’t have assumed a crash or anything, I thought it was bin day but sort of heard some yelling down the street which sounded quite erratic.
“I thought someone maybe had thrown something onto my shed or something and I was just sort of slowly kind of getting round to getting up when I heard a knock on the door.”
A car crashed into Kiwi singer Hollie Smith's front lawn this morning. Photo / Facebook / Hollie Smith
She said her neighbours were outside and were on the phone to police.
“Shortly after that [I] saw a police car go down the bottom of the road and they were obviously interacting with somebody. The vehicle had fled the scene.
“From what I understand they apprehended the driver and had taken him to hospital to get checked over.”
“I’m just happy no one was hurt,” she added.
“There was a big fence post through the front of the windscreen into the middle console which is pretty awful to see. It was very, very close to being a very different situation out there.
“The area’s got lots of walking and cycling tracks so there’s always early morning cyclists and walkers around and we’re also in a major school zone here. So yeah, could have been a lot worse.
“A bit of collateral damage here but hopefully the person responsible is okay and gets some help hopefully.”
She said she has had a “lovely” response from her neighbourhood, who have brought her homemade scones and Anzac slices.
Someone even brought her a replacement lemon tree after her “favourite” tree was damaged in the crash.
“It was really lovely … Very, very kind of the community.”
Police said they received a call around 7.20am with a report that a car crashed into a fence on Ngatai Rd, Otumoetai.
“The driver/sole occupant attempted to leave the scene on foot and was taken into custody by police,” a spokesperson said. “Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.”
