A Wairarapa College teacher was run down and injured while crossing a road near the grounds after school yesterday.
The male teacher, 60, was left "conscious and still breathing" after a westbound car struck him while he crossed one of two Renall Street pedestrian crossings flanking the intersection with Pownall Street
about 3.30pm, Masterton traffic sergeant Chris Megaw said at the scene yesterday.
He said there were several witnesses to the incident, which involved an elderly male motorist with a medical condition who was travelling alone when he ran down the teacher.
A witness said the motorist did not appear to slow down immediately before striking the teacher, who was halfway across the left-hand lane when he was hit. The witness said the teacher was thrown about 5m upon impact, which shattered the left side of the vehicle's windscreen.
The road was slick with rain at the time and there did not appear to be any obvious skid marks leading up to the point of collision.
Mr Megaw said traffic was moderate and there were numerous school pupils walking nearby when the teacher was struck.
The driver did not appear to be harmed and the injured man was taken by ambulance to Wairarapa Hospital, where he was reported to be in a stable condition last night.
Wairarapa College principal Mike Schwass said the injured man is married and had worked for some time as a permanent part-time teacher at the Supported Learning Centre at the school.
He said senior management would discuss pedestrian safety in the immediate area of the school although he could not recall any similar incidents involving pupils or staff near the grounds.
