People rushed to help the woman and directed traffic away from the accident scene, while other people ran to the vehicle to stop the elderly male driver from leaving, he said.
“I was on the bonnet and another person took their keys and told him to get out of the car and kept him there.”
Detective Sergeant Andrew Compton thanked members of the public who rushed to the woman’s aid following the collision.
“It’s heartening to know that so many people in our city stepped up to help a person in need.”
The woman remained in a critical condition in hospital, Compton said.
“Police are speaking with the 82-year-old man driving the vehicle and the cause remains under investigation. Initial indications suggest alcohol or a medical event were not factors in the crash.”
Police were keen to hear from anyone who had CCTV footage of the incident.
Another witness — Paula Smith — said a German passport was knocked from the woman’s bag by the impact. Smith said the woman was bleeding onto the road from a significant head wound.
Smith said the situation was difficult, but she was proud of the immediate actions of people in the area.
“It’s when you’re proud of your city, right? When people just jump in. It’s horrible to see but everybody that could just jumped in to help.”
Smith said police and ambulances arrived quickly and the driver and the woman were swiftly taken from the scene.
The German Embassy confirmed to the Herald the victim was a German national. Police said they were liaising with the embassy.
Anyone with information can call police on 105 using the reference number 250224/0187.
- RNZ with additional reporting by NZ Herald.
Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
