Tauranga woman fell from boot of moving car while kids were ‘bonnet surfing’, police allege

The woman injured in the incident was taken to Tauranga Hospital. Photo / NZME

A Tauranga woman has suffered a brain bleed after falling from the boot of a moving car that two children were “bonnet surfing” on, police allege.

The “extremely dangerous” incident has prompted a warning from the city’s road policing manager.

Senior Sergeant Wayne Hunter said about 6.10pm on Tuesday, the car was at the end of Faulkner St in Gate Pa with a driver and at least three other people.

Hunter alleged two children were lying on the bonnet as the car headed up the street.

When the car stopped, the woman opened the boot and hopped in.

As the car continued, the woman “fell from the boot and struck her head on the roadway”, Hunter said.

“The car stopped, the injured woman was put into the car and taken to Tauranga Hospital.”

Hunter alleged no one called the police or an ambulance, and the police were alerted by the hospital that a woman had suffered a serious head injury.

He said the incident was “partly captured” on a Tauranga City Council CCTV camera.

Hunter said the male driver allegedly involved in the incident was at the hospital when the police arrived, and the car was in the hospital carpark.

“This is an act of stupidity, which could easily have ended in more serious injuries to the woman and the two children or resulted in someone being killed,” Hunter said.

Head of Western Bay of Plenty road policing, Senior Sergeant Wayne Hunter. Photo / File

Hunter said the injured woman was admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit with a brain bleed.

Hunter said the incident was “extremely dangerous” as the woman could have been run over by another vehicle, and anything could have happened to the two children allegedly “bonnet surfing” on the car.

Hunter said police inquiries were ongoing, and the driver could face serious charges.

Anyone who has witnessed the Gate Pa incident or had information that could assist the police should call 105 police, quoting file reference 26016/5153, or anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Other incidents on Tauranga roads over the holiday period included a local teenager allegedly clocked doing 196 km/h on a motorbike on the Tauranga Eastern Link near Bruce Rd – almost twice the 100km/h limit.

Hunter said the teen’s motorbike was impounded for 28 days after the New Year’s Day incident and he would face yet-to-be determined charges.

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 25 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.