Rotorua mobility scooter crash: Edward Joseph Duffy died in collision with motorcycle - police

A note and flowers at the scene of a fatal incident involving a mobility scooter and a motorcycle on Tuesday. Photo / Laura Smith

Police have named the person who died in a crash between a mobility scooter and a motorcycle in Rotorua this week.

He was 88-year-old Edward Joseph Duffy.

Duffy was the rider of the mobility scooter and died at the scene of Tuesday’s crash, police confirmed in a statement today.

Police want to hear from anyone who saw the motorcycle involved in the crash prior to the collision with Duffy’s mobility scooter.

They would also like to hear from anyone who may have dashcam or CCTV footage of the motorcycle prior to the crash.

The file number is 231121/3158.

The crash happened about 10.20am near the intersection of Tutanekai and Amohau Sts, closing the road for several hours.

Witness accounts

Shocked witnesses described hearing a “bang” as the vehicles collided, and seeing an elderly man thrown from the mobility scooter.

Passersby rushed to help and emergency services soon took over CPR efforts, but police said the rider died at the scene.

Rotorua resident Steve Browning and his daughter, 11, came across the scene and later placed flowers handpicked from their garden and a hand-written note for the man who died.

They saw a large group of people, including some directing traffic with orange flags, on Amohau St towards Tutanekai St on Wednesday.

They saw the scooter “wreckage ... all in parts” and CPR being performed on a man on the ground.

A note and flowers at the scene of an incident involving a mobility scooter and a motorcycle at the Tutanekai St and Amohau St intersection on Tuesday. Photo / Laura Smith

“It could have been anyone’s father, grandfather, brother, uncle … one person still matters,” Browning said.

Hiria Pohutuhutu was working at Colombus Coffee across the road when she heard a “bang” and looked up to see the scooter rider had been thrown from his seat.

Pohutuhutu said she immediately called the ambulance and ran outside, seeing the motorcycle nearby.

A passerby began performing CPR on the man and Pohutuhutu saw someone run to find a defibrillator.

Emergency services then arrived on the scene and took over.

She said the incident was “traumatising” and everyone was concerned about those involved.

“I did a little prayer for him.”

Emergency services at the scene of a fatal crash between a mobility scooter and motorcycle on Tuesday. Photo / Maryana Garcia

Another witness to the incident, who asked not to be named, said he was facing a window when the crash happened.

“I didn’t even hear the bike until I heard a bang.”

He saw that other people by the intersection had “freaked out” and he heard screaming.

“I rushed out and called an ambulance.”

He said first responders performed CPR for about 10 minutes.

Cira Olivier is a social issues and breaking news reporter for NZME Bay of Plenty. She has been a journalist since 2019.