Police investigating the death of 69-year-old Shelagh Cotter in a road crash on Saturday (30 October) are trying to locate a hitchhiker who may be an important witness.
Mrs Cotter, who was from Te Horo, was killed when a blue Subaru Legacy stationwagon crashed into her stationary Honda in Old Hautere Road.
Police believe that the 37-year-old driver of the Subaru picked up a hitchhiker around 9.30am on Saturday on SH1 in Paraparaumu as he travelled northbound.
No description of the hitchhiker is available at this stage and it is also not known at this stage where that person was dropped off, although they were dropped off before the crash.
Detective Sergeant Sarn Paroli said: "It is quite possible that the hitchhiker doesn't realise that the car they travelled in is the same car that was involved in this fatal crash. We are extremely keen to speak to that hitchhiker and would ask them to contact us as soon as possible."
Anyone with information relevant to this investigation is asked to contact Levin Police on 06 366 0500.
Media enquiries should be referred to Communications Manager Kim Perks on 027 234 8256.