Police are seeking witnesses to a street race near Carterton on Saturday that ended when a high-performance car hit a roadside fence and burst into flames.
Carterton Constable Scott Simpson said a white vehicle and a silver Subaru WRX had been racing south on SH2 near Clareville just before 4pm on Saturday when the Subaru driver lost control of his vehicle.
The vehicle allegedly crossed the centre line and, braking heavily, skidded across the northbound lane before colliding with a fence surrounding a property on the corner of SH2 and Chester Rd. The car was severely damaged in the crash but driven into Neiches Lane about 300m south, where it caught fire soon afterwards and was gutted, police said.
Three young males and a female occupant in the Subaru had escaped the car without serious injury, Mr Simpson said.
Neiches Lane resident Alina Paul said she had been gardening with friend Andrew Dennison when she heard the screeching of "metal on metal" as the seriously damaged car limped past her front gate.
"It sounded like the car was running on its rims. Andrew was mowing the lawns out front and there was shouting. I didn't know what was going on."
Mr Dennison said he had watched the car being parked and the occupants exiting the vehicle and preparing to flee the scene. "They were getting ready to bolt. I thought the car was stolen and they were just leaving it behind. I told them to take it with them."
Mr Dennison said he had seen flames coming from beneath the driver's seat of the car and that two of the male occupants turned on him.
One of the men was armed with a screwdriver, he said.
He subdued the unarmed man and shouted for Ms Paul to call police as the fire in the car began to take hold, he said. Mr Dennison said he had been pepper-sprayed and handcuffed during the initial chaos when police first arrived but he was not facing any charges.
Mr Simpson said an occupant of the car had been arrested at the scene and charged with disorderly behaviour.
Ms Paul said it was lucky no one was hurt in the incident.
"This is literally a quiet country lane. Our kids play out there. There are chickens and cats and dogs. What would have happened if our kids hadn't been away at the time?"
Numerous homes in the area had lost landline communication after the crash, which had damaged a telephone junction.