Dunedin truck crash: Victim Connor Harley Latty was ‘polite young man with great smile’

The 20-year-old killed in a truck accident in Dunedin was “a polite young man with a great smile” who had just started a new job.

Connor Latty died at the scene when he was hit by a runaway truck in Police St near the intersection with Crawford St about 7.55am last Friday.

Latty was on his way to work at Repco, across the road from the accident scene, when he was stuck by the truck.

Repco’s Dunedin branch manager Gary Cole said in a statement that staff were devastated to hear of Latty’s death.

“Connor joined our team seven weeks ago and displayed all the wonderful attributes of a polite young man with a great smile who was keen to succeed.

“We are grateful to all those who attended the scene of the accident and to the wider community for their ongoing messages of sympathy and support.

Emergency services at the scene of the crash. Photo / ODT

“Our thoughts are with Connor’s family and friends at this very difficult time.”

Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said the investigation into the crash was continuing.

The commercial vehicle safety team, along with the serious crash unit, attended the scene on Friday and the crash had been referred to WorkSafe.

“Now it is a case of reviewing all the evidence before a decision is made about the outcome.”

A witness said the driver was not in the truck at the time of the incident but appeared to be talking to mechanics at an auto parts store in Carroll St when the truck began to move.

He yelled an expletive as the vehicle started to move down the hill. It appeared to hit a building before smashing into a car, the witness said.