Man hit by car in Dunedin’s Octagon may have been lying on road, police investigating

Police are investigating how a 20-year-old man was struck by a car in Dunedin’s Octagon on Saturday night.

The man was taken to hospital in a critical condition after being struck by the car about 9.30pm, Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond said.

Police were still investigating as to how the man was hit, Bond said.

“We’re waiting for CCTV footage to see. There’s conflicting reports about whether he was lying down in the road, or had tripped over and then got hit by the vehicle as it’s gone past.”

The driver of the vehicle, who had been travelling north through the Octagon, stopped and remained at the scene as the serious crash unit arrived.

The man was taken to hospital in an unconscious state with lung issues.

Bond said the man had been taken out of the ICU yesterday and was now in a ward while under assessment.

He said the man did not have any serious ongoing injuries.

The investigation continues.

Ben Tomsett is a multimedia journalist for the New Zealand Herald, based in Dunedin.