Ute smashes into New World in central Wellington

1:52 pm on 6 January 2023
A vehicle smashed through the wall at New World on Wakefield Street, central Wellington. (pictured on 6 January, 2023)

A vehicle smashed through the wall at New World on Wakefield Street, central Wellington. Photo: RNZ / Kate Green

A ute has crashed into the side of a central Wellington supermarket this morning.

The white ute smashed through a bush on the side of Chaffers New World at about 10.30. It was left resting on its back wheels, with its bonnet and front wheels embedded in the brick wall.

Wellington Free Ambulance attended but said there were no serious injuries.

Cole Hartell, who was working across the road when the crash happened, said he heard a loud, half-a-second bang.

"Just a sound of a car crash, you know. It was pretty obvious right away.

"There was a crunching of metal, no screeching tyres, nothing more than that, just a bang."

It was lucky the ambulance and fire stations were just across the road, he said.

People often drove aggressively at the intersection of Cambridge Terrace and Wakefield Street, but it was unusual to see a crash, Hartell said.

"There's usually a lot of road rage and aggression on this corner as people are all trying to change into each other's lanes at the same time, but don't often see actual accidents, because it's usually just moving so slowly."

Passersby said it was lucky no one was injured, as the supermarket's staff often took smoke breaks right where the vehicle crashed.