Napier vehicle-related death: Victim died while car-surfing

One person died in the evening on Friday, December 27 following a serious vehicle-related incident on Nuffield Ave in Mārewa, Napier.

A man involved in a fatal vehicle-related incident in Napier had been car-surfing before he fell off and died.

Police confirmed the man was travelling on a mattress on top of a black station wagon when he fell off and died.

A man was reported unresponsive on the road on Nuffield Ave in Napier around 9pm on December 27.

“Efforts to resuscitate the man were unsuccessful and he died at the scene,” a police spokesperson said yesterday.

The vehicle had travelled from the Mārewa shops on Kennedy Road along Nuffield Ave to the point of impact – between the intersections of Kettle Crescent and Nash Street, police said in a statement.

“As part of piecing together what has happened that has led to this tragic outcome, police are appealing to the public for information.”

“We would like anyone who saw this vehicle, and/or the man travelling on it, to come forward.”

Seven people have died on New Zealand roads in the last five days.

On Christmas Eve, a motorcyclist died in a crash involving a car in Parkvale, Tauranga. Later that evening, shortly after 10pm, another person died at the scene of a single-vehicle crash in Pah Hill Rd in the Auckland suburb of Wharehine. On Boxing Day, a third fatality occurred on SH35 near Te Araroa, north of Gisborne.

And on Friday, one person died and four others suffered minor injuries as the result of a two-vehicle crash on State Highway 25 between Thames and Coromandel shortly before 9am.

Yesterday, two more people died on New Zealand roads.

A motorcyclist was killed in a single-bike crash on Main Rd in Murupara, Bay of Plenty about 12.50pm. Another person died following a serious crash in Northland just after 4pm.

Police said over the Christmas period last year, 21 people died in road crashes.

“Road safety partners aim not to have a repeat of that figure this year.”

Katie Oliver is a Christchurch-based multimedia journalist and breaking news reporter.