Teenage driver awaits police verdict

Hastings police have yet to decide whether a teenage girl who drove into a former schoolmate and dragged her 300m down a road without knowing will face charges.

The 17-year-old driver was fleeing a fight outside Hastings Boys High School on Thursday night when she reversed into a 15-year-old Hastings Girls student.

Police said the 17-year-old was a former pupil at the girls school and had been in sports teams with the injured student.

The driver was said to be "extremely upset" over what had happened.

She is also believed to have hit another Hastings Girls student, who was left with a dislocated kneecap.

Up to 200 teenagers from schools throughout Hawkes Bay saw the incident, which happened as they were leaving the regional final of the national Search for the Stars competition at Hastings Boys High.

The injured 15-year-old has a broken arm and extensive injuries to her pelvis and legs after she became hooked under the car and was dragged along the road.

She was reported to be in a serious but stable condition in Hawkes Bay Hospital yesterday.

Police spent the day seeking witnesses, and said it was too early to say whether the driver or girls involved in the fight would face charges.

Detective Sergeant Luke Shadbolt said the driver was set upon by a group of girls outside the school and reversed into the 15-year-old while fleeing.

"It certainly wasn't a deliberate act. She didn't intend to drag the girl down the road."

He said the noise of the fight might have prevented her realising what had happened and stopping earlier.

"There was pandemonium. There was still yelling and shouting going on from the fight."

The driver had been extremely upset and had co-operated fully with police.

Mr Shadbolt said the cause of the fight was unknown, but the injured girl was not involved.

"She was an innocent bystander in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Hasting Girls High principal Geraldine Travers said the incident had been traumatic for students who witnessed it and they were given counselling.

She said the injured pupil was a "fine sportswoman" who represented the school in swimming and netball. She was expected to recover.

Mrs Travers could not give details about the driver because she did not know her name.

She said no Hastings Girls students were involved in the fight.

"Our girls are the victims here," she said.

Hastings Boys High principal Rob Sturch also said none of his students was involved in the trouble.

"Everyone was dispersing nicely when a couple of girls decided to discuss differences," he said.