A man has been arrested and charged in relation to a crash that killed a six-year-old.

The man, who is related to the victim Lachlan Gebhardt, is due to appear in the Christchurch District Court today charged with dangerous driving causing death.

Police say that as the matter is before the courts, there will not be any further comment. 

The crash occurred on Lehmans Road in near Rangiora on November 5th. 

One woman who lives near the crash site told the NZ Herald shortly after the accident she "just happened to look out the window and saw all these flames".

She then reports hearing "a big bang" shortly afterwards and then "someone screaming".

A distressed woman at the scene reported driving and seeing the vehicle pass her at high speed and failing to take the bend.

"She said she saw them going really, really fast and going straight over [the stopbank] and hit a tree. She was really upset," the local woman told the Herald.

"It was lucky there were no other cars on the bank or dog walkers – it's pretty busy along there. It's just horrible."