Man killed crossing road named

Police have named an elderly man who died yesterday after he was hit by a ute north of Palmerston North yesterday.

He was Jack McMurtrie, 84, of Bunnythorpe.

It appeared the ute struck him as he crossed Reids Line in Bunnythorpe, 10km northeast of Palmerston North, to fetch his mail about 9am.

The driver, a local man, called emergency services, but left he scene before police arrived. He contacted police later in the day.

Police were speaking to a number of people and it was too early to say whether the driver would face charges, Senior Sergeant Nigel Allan of Feilding police said.

The driver was uninjured but shaken, he said.

- NZPA