Police are seeking help to identify the driver of a white car seen on CCTV near a fatal Burnside crash that later claimed the life of a mother of five. The appeal centres on a single-vehicle crash on Grahams Road about 10.50pm on Monday 27 April, and police believe the male driver may be able to help their investigation.

The reported details say the white car turned left onto Grahams Road from Wairakei Road shortly before the crash. Police have CCTV footage but have not been able to determine the vehicle's registration. The driver stopped at the scene but left before emergency services arrived. Investigators are now asking anyone who knows the registration, or who was driving the vehicle, to contact police.

The woman involved in the crash was the sole occupant of her vehicle. She was taken to hospital and later died. A family member described her as a young, beautiful and wonderful mother, placing a deeply human frame around a police appeal that might otherwise be read only as a request for information.

For Christchurch residents, the case shows why even brief contact with a crash scene can become important. A driver, passenger, pedestrian, nearby resident or business owner may hold one detail that helps investigators understand the moments before impact. That detail could be a registration, a direction of travel, a description of the driver, or private footage from a doorbell, vehicle or workplace camera.

Police have asked people with information to contact 105 online or by phone and reference file number 260428/3012. The appeal remains active because the driver may have witnessed something useful or may be able to clarify the timeline. The public message is simple: if you know the white car or the person behind the wheel, police want to hear from you.