Police rule out foul play after blood found in Wellington tunnel

Police have confirmed that a large pool of human blood found in a Wellington pedestrian tunnel was not of a suspicious nature. The blood was discovered in the Coutts St pedestrian underpass in Rongotai at approximately 10.40pm on Sunday, October 4. This tunnel runs beneath Wellington Airport between Coutts St and Miro St in Miramar.

The source of the blood was identified as a 36-year-old woman who crashed her e-scooter. The woman stated she caught the edge of the footpath while travelling at 16 kph and hit her face against the concrete. She sustained contusions to her nose and forehead and suffered a substantial amount of blood.

The woman sought medical help after the accident and later provided a statement to police. She was directed to Accident and Emergency in Wellington after seeing her GP, where she spent one night under observation. The woman expressed gratitude to bystanders who assisted her at the scene.

Detective Senior Sergeant Steve Wescott previously stated that the area was cordoned off for a scene examination after testing confirmed the blood was human. Police have concluded their investigation and stated that no further involvement is required.

How it developed

• Tue 13 Oct, 1:38pmThe cause was revealed to be a woman who fell off her e-scooter and suffered facial injuries.
• Tue 13 Oct, 2:11pmThe woman provided details regarding her crash and her subsequent medical treatment.

Where reports differ

• One report notes the blood was found on Sunday, while another specifies the date as October 4.

Compiled from reports by Stuff, 1News, Otago Daily Times and NZ Herald.