Police have detained a driver in connection with an accident in which a man died after he was knocked down and dragged 700 meters by a car early yesterday morning.

A second man suffered severe injuries in the incident at Wuchang Road in Hongkou District and was in a coma yesterday.

The driver, an Anhui Province native who police did not name, was apprehended yesterday afternoon at a restaurant on Zhongshan Road.

A 25-year-old man, surnamed Chen, was pronounced dead at the Shanghai No.1 People's Hospital early yesterday morning, while a 34-year-old man, surnamed Qi, sustained life-threatening injuries.

They were among a group, all from Anhui, at a party in a Wuchang Road restaurant, according to witnesses.

According to a member of the group, who asked not to be named, the men stood in front of a black Buick car at 2:30am to stop the driver from getting behind the wheel, as he had been drinking.

The vehicle moved off and hit them, it is claimed.

"He didn't stop even though he was dragging someone," said the member of the group.

Police have not confirmed these claims.

"The young man was lying in the road covered in blood, after the Buick dragged him through three intersections," said a 41-year-old local resident Tang Lan.

"It was horrible, as some of his skin had been torn away, leaving bare flesh."

Tang said she estimated the trail of blood on the street to be more than 700 meters long.

"His shoes, socks, other clothing and even pieces of skin were left along the street," said Tang.

Tang said she and her husband tried to help the fatally injured young man.

"I kept shouting to him, 'you can't fall asleep,' while my husband called for an ambulance and the police," said Tang,

"But he was not responding and we knew we were losing him."

A worker at the restaurant where the group had been drinking and dining beforehand said he saw a car traveling at speed toward Tiantong Road with the young man being dragged along.