Teen victim in a critical state

Ashleigh was hit on Bucklands Beach Rd. Photo / Supplied

The teenage victim of a hit-and-run in East Auckland last weekend remains in a critical condition.

Witnesses said Ashleigh Scott, 18, was tossed "like a rag doll" after being hit at high speed outside a party in front of three horrified friends.

"She is slowly but surely making progress, but she's not out of the woods yet," said her father, Mike Scott.

Doctors at Auckland City Hospital were weaning Ashleigh off sedatives and waiting for her to regain consciousness.

"Her CT scans have come back relatively normal, but there are one or two issues they are concerned about," said Scott. "She has a number of fractures to her skull but they are minor at this stage.

"The biggest issue is her head injury and if there has been any damage to her brain."

Scott said his wife, Michelle, and Ashleigh's brother, Kristian, 20, and sister Jasmine, 14, were "taking each day as a step forward".

The car that hit Ashleigh at 11.20pm last Friday did not stop. It was registered to Howick woman Gloria Gardner. Police interviewed her 18-year-old daughter, Lauren, who they said was a passenger in the vehicle.

Police alleged the car was being driven by a friend of Lauren's, 17-year-old Rhys Paterson. They said he visited Manukau police station the morning after the incident.

He has been charged with driving while disqualified and has been released on bail until March 23. Police say he is likely to face a further charge of dangerous driving causing injury.

Paterson's uncle, Darryl Paterson, said his family was concerned about Ashleigh. "Our hearts and our prayers go out to this girl and her family."

He said Paterson should not have been driving that night. He had been disqualified and was on a restricted licence.

"I don't know if the accident was his fault, but he shouldn't have been there. From what I have heard it seems he wasn't going that fast."

Paterson said his nephew was "truly distraught". He hoped Rhys would visit Ashleigh in hospital. "He needs to see the damage he has caused. We really hope she pulls through."

Scott had no goodwill towards the person driving the car, and said the person who gave them the keys should be prosecuted, too. Gloria Gardner refused to comment.

She is believed to be the mother of Darin Gardner, who is serving 18-and-a-half years for mowing down Kane Wright and Melissa Viall in Pakuranga in 2006.