Six-year-old child in serious condition following Hillcrest crash

A 6-year-old child has been rushed to Starship children's hospital with serious injuries after a two-car crash on Auckland's North Shore.

It was one of two serious crashes in the city tonight which left several people hurt.
A dark-coloured people mover and a white sedan collided on Pupuke Rd in Hillcrest about 7pm.

Inspector Cornell Kluessien said a 6-year-old child was in a serious condition and had been rushed to Starship hospital. The child's injured parent was also transported to hospital.

An eyewitness who was first on the scene told the Herald she believed one of the vehicles had been pulling out of a driveway on the suburban street when it was "T-boned" by the other car.

She said a male driver of one of the vehicles was hysterical after the accident. When he learned a child had been badly hurt the man had to be held back by members of the public as he tried to reach an ambulance where the child was being treated.

"Someone was giving first aid. The driver wasn't giving his name. And when he found out it was a child he just went into complete shock."

The crash scene was scattered with debris and broken glass.

A woman living opposite the North Shore crash site said the noise was "absolutely horrendous".

"I was reading in bed, so I just jumped out because I heard screaming," said the woman, who did not wish to be named.

"You [could] hear the noise of the tyres, and then the bang...it was horrible."

She did not recognise the cars involved in the crash, but said some people on her street had said it was one of the neighbours.

Fire and ambulance personnel were at the scene and Inspector Kluessien said the serious crash unit was also investigating. Diversions were in place.

Fire service northern communications spokesman Jaron Phillips said the other crash happened at the intersection of Great South Rd and the South Eastern Highway in Penrose, and also involved two cars.

Mr Phillips said the accident occurred just before 6.30pm, trapping one person in a car.
The victim was believed to have moderate injuries, he said.

Earlier, commuters faced a slow journey home to West Auckland after a crash on the Northwestern Motorway near Te Atatu.

The New Zealand Transport Agency reported travel times of an hour and a half to get from Auckland City to the west.

Traffic was crawling to the Te Atatu exit, but freed up around Lincoln Rd.