Police need answers on Hamilton and Christchurch pedestrian incidents

Police are calling for witnesses to two separate incidents, one fatal and both involving pedestrians.

The first was a fatal collision between a car and a pedestrian walking on a dark road in Hamilton.

The collision happened on Tasman Road in Te Rapa about 6pm last Tuesday.

Police say the Hamilton man had earlier been reported walking on a dark road before being fatally struck by a car.

The car's driver was temporarily blinded by the lights of a truck whose driver was likely trying to warn him of the victim walking along the road, Waikato police Senior Sergeant Pete van de Wetering previously said.

The 69-year-old victim was walking on the road and without reflective clothing.

"Our initial indication is that he has walked in front of a car driving along there and the driver had no opportunity to avoid hitting him in the dark."

After questioning the driver, police learned that just prior to the collision he had blinded by the flashing headlights of a truck.

"Perhaps unfortunately for the deceased, a truck approaching the driver flashed his headlights at him, probably because the driver had not seen the gentleman walking on the road.

"And for a moment, the driver looked to check if his own headlights weren't on high beam and as he has looked up the gentleman has just stepped out in front of him."

Police have already spoken to some motorists who had reported a man walking along Tasman Rd, but are keen to hear from anybody who also saw the man before the incident.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Richelle Brownlie at Hamilton Police on 07 858 6200 or rbj103@police.govt.nz, quoting file number 180627/2378.

The second incident, a hit-and-run in Christchurch yesterday morning, left the victim in critical condition.

The victim, who was found on the road on the north side of the Gayhurst Road bridge, remains in the intensive care unit in Christchurch Hospital.

Police are piecing together what happened are examining relevant CCTV footage in the area, Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Cottam said.

"We are also examining broken car parts left at the scene, and working to identify these.

"We would again ask anyone who saw the victim walking two dogs in the Dallington area around midnight, or knows how he sustained his critical injuries, to please get in touch with us."

If anyone has noticed fresh damage to a vehicle, especially frontal damage, police would like to know about it.

Anyone with information on that incident is asked to contact Detective Ben Rolton on 021 191 1854 or ben.rolton@police.govt.nz, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.