Freak death: NZ man dies reversing out of garage

File photo / NZ Herald

A man killed in a freak accident in his garage was found by his wife when he failed to return from a trip to get takeaways.

The Christchurch man, named as Geoff Skinner, told his wife he was going to pick up some takeaways for the family about 5.45pm yesterday.

But as he attempted to reverse out of the attached garage, his open car door caught on the building's framing, causing it to bend backwards.

Mr Skinner was thrown from his car and suffered fatal injuries, police said.

After he failed to return with the takeaways after about 30 minutes, his wife went to look for him and found him dead in the garage.

The death has been referred to the coroner.

At the Skinner home in the suburb of Casebrook this morning, a male relative said: "We have no comment to make. We just want to keep it in the family at this time.''

McDonalds bashing

Meanwhile a man is in a serious condition in Auckland Hospital after he was bashed with a metal pole in South Auckland overnight.

Emergency services were called around 1.30am after the man, aged in his late 20s, was attacked by two men outside the McDonalds on Great South Road, Manurewa.

A police spokesman said the man sustained serious head injuries in the attack and remains in a serious condition in Auckland Hospital.