Rotorua Edmund Rd crash: Witness says motorcyclist hit pedestrian

A woman who was stopped at a pedestrian crossing on Edmund Rd couldn’t believe her eyes when a motorbike overtook her vehicle and “nailed” a pedestrian crossing the road.

The witness, who did not want to be identified, said the man flew into the air and landed on the ground.

As she and her husband ran to help, the motorbike rider stopped, U-turned and drove back past them on Edmund Rd and off towards Clayton Rd.

A manhunt is under way to find the motorbike rider, who left the pedestrian at the scene with critical injuries.

The victim, who police said was aged in his 20s, was airlifted to Waikato Hospital yesterday.

The witness told the Rotorua Daily Post this morning she had been in Four Square Edmund Rd and saw the man shopping there.

She said it crossed her mind as she and her husband left the car park just before 2.15pm that the road was relatively quiet, with no other cars around.

They turned on to Edmund Rd heading towards Sunset Rd and stopped at the pedestrian crossing to let the man cross.

“The motorbike came through and nailed him.”

She said it was a proper road bike, not a dirt bike, and the man was wearing a full-face helmet.

She said when he stopped and turned to come back past the scene, he looked straight at her.

“There were only four people there. Me, my husband, the rider and the victim.

“It was ages before the next car came along.”

She said someone coming out of the Gull Service Station just after the collision saw the rider and was able to give police a good description.

“He was not one of those bandanna boys on a dirt bike but he was probably like them because any decent rider would have stopped and come back to help.”

She said her focus was on the injured man. She said he laid in the recovery position and her husband sat with him until the ambulance arrived, while she controlled the scene.

The woman said she was still shaken from what she saw and the impact probably had not sunk in yet.

She said the rider needed to do the right thing.

“He has left this man with critical injuries. He needs to come forward and be responsible and needs to do what’s right. I just hope the man will be okay.”

Police this morning said the Serious Crash Unit had conducted a scene examination. They were still working to identify the rider and were appealing for witnesses to come forward.

They earlier said police would like to speak with anyone who was on Edmund Rd between 2pm and 2.30pm and might have seen the motorbike rider.

They were also looking for dashcam and CCTV footage in the Edmund Rd and Clayton Rd areas.

Anyone who could help was asked to call 105 and quote reference number P062875068, or provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.