A driver involved in a horror crash rushed to give CPR to a dying teenager who lay unconscious in the other car's back seat.
The 18-year-old girl, one of six young people in a Ford Laser, suffered fatal injuries when the car in which she was a passenger was allegedly driven through a give-way controlled intersection early yesterday and was T-boned by a Ford Courier ute.
Before paramedics arrived, the ute's driver provided CPR to the teenager after the crash at the intersection of Stafford and Hope Sts, witnesses said.
Tributes flowed yesterday for the ''amazing angel''.
Police are yet to lay charges and would not be drawn on details of the investigation yesterday.
A police spokesman said the Laser failed to give way and was hit by the Courier, which was being driven up Stafford St, about 2.15am.
The driver of the Laser fled, but was found by police nearby, he said.
The driver was assisting police with their inquiries.
Police were investigating whether the car was linked to an earlier petrol drive-off in North Dunedin.
St John paramedics took the Laser's six occupants to Dunedin Hospital's emergency department by ambulance.
The Courier's driver, its sole occupant, was uninjured.
Witnesses say they were woken by the crash and rushed to help the victims.
Hope St resident Leah Coster said she awoke when she heard what ''sounded like pots and pans''.
''I thought someone had dropped their dishes and then I looked out my window and thought 'What do I do?','' she said.
''They [the Laser's occupants] were in bad shape. The lady in the back-seat was unconscious, so our priority was getting her out.''
She called emergency services, who provided instructions to her which she relayed to her flatmate, who was providing care to the injured.
''The driver of [the Courier] did CPR,'' she said.
''He was in shock.
''It was like a 'what the hell has happened' sort of thing.''
The 18-year-old regained consciousness before being taken to hospital, she said.
Residents from a nearby Stafford St flat also rushed to help.
A female resident of the flat, who did not want to be identified, said she rushed on to the street after the crash.
''It was just such a mess - the whole situation,'' she said.
She spoke to the Courier's driver who told her ''he was having such a nice night'' before the accident.
''He did CPR,'' she said.
''He was all in there. He was great.''
However, the 18-year-old victim of the crash was severely injured.
''You could tell pretty early on, she wasn't going to last very long,'' she said.
The other passengers of the car were ''massively in shock'' and the driver fled.
''He [the driver] was pacing around the car,'' she said.
''But everyone was in shock and then they just noticed he had gone.''
Another witness said the driver was accompanied back to the scene shortly after by a woman and a police officer.
Three ambulances transported the Laser's occupants to hospital, St John South Island communications adviser Ian Henderson said.
The 18-year-old died in hospital, he said.Another patient was in a serious condition and the four others had moderate injuries.
A tribute page to the 18-year-old was opened on Facebook yesterday as the tragic news spread among friends and family.
''You were a beautiful young girl that got taken way too soon,'' one tribute said.
''Earth lost a beautiful person but heaven gained an amazing angel. Rest easy ... gone but never forgotten.''
Others paid tribute to the ''sweetheart'' whose ''smile lit up the room''.
''Why did this cruel world have to take you so soon?'' another tribute said.
''Everyone is going to miss you so ... much and there's nothing we can do about it.''
The police spokesman said the teenager's name would be released once next-of-kin were notified.
Police would not comment on whether speed or alcohol were factors in the crash, but confirmed both drivers were breath-tested.
Police were also investigating whether a petrol drive-off, which occurred earlier in North Dunedin, was linked to the car involved in the crash.
However, police remained tight-lipped on their investigation into the crash.
''We still need to interview people to figure out exactly what happened,'' the police spokesman said.
The intersection remained closed yesterday morning as police investigators pieced together the crash. The road reopened about 12.20pm.
Dunedin public safety staff, a serious crash investigator from Invercargill, Dunedin CIB staff and a forensic photographer will be working on the scene and ongoing investigation.
Victim Support is assisting.
