Charges delayed in fatal Blenheim crash

A young Blenheim woman who allegedly killed a driver after speeding off from a police checkpoint and crashing will not be charged for several weeks, police say.

Penelope Rae Phillips, 51, of Blenheim, was killed when 20-year-old Frances Stubbs crashed into the driver's door of her car at the roundabout between Nelson St and Hutcheson St about 9.45pm on Friday.

Detective Richard Rolton, of Blenheim, said police have interviewed Stubbs and witnesses.

People who were at the police checkpoint had also been spoken to.

However, Rolton said he was still interested in hearing from anyone else who had seen the crash.

"Because of the complexities of the crash, it will be some time before any charges are laid," he said.

The young woman had been stopped at a police checkpoint on Alfred St outside Blen-heim School and breath-tested.

Police said she blew a positive result and was asked to pull over for a second test but drove off.

Rolton said there was no police pursuit.

A police officer at the checkpoint got into his car to follow Stubbs.

He saw her car's tail lights disappearing over the Taylor River bridge as he turned into Hutcheson St.

He then saw steam rising ahead from the crash scene, Rolton said.

The driver's father, Peter Stubbs, said his daughter had only recently turned 20. She was very distressed and tearful, he said.

"She accepts she's made a terrible decision," he said.

"Our family is massively impacted ... this is a nightmare and I don't know how it will end."

Frances Stubbs was taken with minor chest injuries to Wairau Hospital, where her mother, Sandra, works as a nurse.

Peter Stubbs said he was "horrified" the Government had not raised the alcohol-buying age from 18 to 20 and it was worrying how easily teenagers and young adults could get alcohol.

"They've put a loaded gun in kids' hands," he said.

Stubbs said that through police his family had passed on their sympathies to Phillips' family and would contact them personally if the family wanted them to.

Blenheim Volunteer Fire Brigade deputy chief fire officer Dion Partridge said the brigade and St John Ambulance crews arrived at the scene of the accident quickly.

Phillips was cut from her car by firefighters within minutes, with St John staff on hand, but could not be saved, Partridge said.

- The Marlborough Express