Police identify pedestrian hit by car

The damaged car which hit the victim on Great North Road in Avondale last week. Photo / NZ Police

A pedestrian who was believed to have sustained head injuries after being hit by a car in Avondale last week has been identified, police say.

It comes after police issued an appeal for information yesterday after a rental car was returned with a badly damaged windscreen and bonnet. It was believed the young male driver had struck a woman on Great North Rd at Avondale, Auckland, around 1.30pm last Sunday.

The woman had now been identified, Detective Sergeant Kevin Blackman said this evening.

A member of the public had contacted the enquiry team with information, and the woman met with police this afternoon.

"Whilst we appreciate the public concern for this young woman, our priority now is the victim's privacy and welfare and because of this we will not be discussing the circumstances that led to the public appeal any further," Mr Blackman said.

"What we can say, however, is that we are very relieved to have identified and spoken with her."

The woman suffered some injuries in the incident, but they were not life-threatening, Mr Blackman said. She had been offered medical assistance.

It is believed a man, who was possibly driving a van, had stopped and offered to help the young woman as she lay on the side of the road, Mr Blackman said.

"The enquiry team would like to speak to the good Samaritan and ask that he make contact with police."

Enquiries into the incident were on-going.

"Police are still unable to make any comment about criminal charges against the driver at this point in time."

A rental car company reported the incident to police after a blue Suzuki Swift it had hired to a customer came back with severe damage to the windscreen and bonnet.

Forensic examination of the car revealed that the vehicle had hit a person and police subsequently contacted the driver, according to police last night.

The victim was believed to have been crossing Great North Rd between the Mobil service station and Larch St when the Suzuki -- driving in the right-hand, east bound lane -- struck her.

Police were concerned for the woman, believing her to have sustained a head wound.