IHC home death probed

Police are investigating the death of an intellectually disabled man who was knocked down by a runaway van.

Michael Carroll, 63, was struck by the driverless eight-seater vehicle while checking the mailbox at the IHC home in the Auckland suburb of Albany on Friday afternoon.

Mr Carroll, who had lived at the home for 16 years, had just got out of the van to walk to the mailbox after returning from an outing when it rolled back down the driveway and hit him.

Sergeant Stu Kearns, of the Waitemata serious crash unit, said it was not known if the handbrake failed or if it had been used at all.

The vehicle would be tested and it was too early to say if the driver would face any charges.

- NZPA