Rotorua man hit and dragged by his own car on Owhata Rd

A Rotorua man has been taken to hospital after being hit and dragged across a road by his own car.

Emergency services were called to the scene on Owhata Rd just after 5pm.

Constable Peter Jones of the Rotorua police road policing team said the man was driving alone and thought he had left something on the roof.

"He stopped to see what it was and got out, but he left his car in reverse. From what he told us, he was then caught by the door and dragged back 15 to 20m until his car was stuck in a ditch."

The scene of the accident on Owhata Rd. Photo / Samantha Olley

Jones said a woman driving down the road to the shops stopped and found the man in the grass beside his car and called 111.

Constable Jones said the man was not seriously hurt, just bruised.

"He has been taken back to hospital for observation."

The man was "very lucky", Jones said.

"People get killed by doing the same thing."

The man's wife attended the scene but did not want to comment.