Auckland, Mt Albert pedestrian death: Tributes pour in for Jason McEwen, killed by car while walking dog

An Auckland man will be “deeply missed” by friends and whānau after he was struck by a car and killed while walking his dog in Auckland last week.

Jason McEwen, 53, was killed on New North Rd, Mt Albert, last Wednesday after a car was sent spinning in a crash, before mounting the footpath.

An obituary for McEwen said he was a beloved son, brother, uncle, friend and dad to his dog Benny.

“We will hold dear the happy memories we created and shared with you. Much love always from your Whānau,” the obituary said.

“You were an awesome dad to Benny, and I miss seeing you two walk past our house every day,” a friend of McEwen’s wrote.

“My deepest sympathy to all the family and tragic loss of Jason taken far too soon. He will be deeply missed by many people and endlessly by Benny.

Another friend wrote: “A great loss for the animals you planned to rescue in the future and a wonderful foster you would have been too.”

Police confirmed McEwen was killed following a two-vehicle crash during rush hour traffic in Mt Albert last week.

Floral tributes and posters laid at the scene on New North Rd where Jason McEwen was killed while walking his dog last week. Photo / Dean Purcell

He died at the scene despite CPR efforts.

A police spokesperson said the wider incident remains under investigation and their thoughts were with his family at this “difficult time.”

In a post to Facebook on Sunday, McEwen’s aunt said; “My beloved nephew Jason... was taken suddenly from us all last Wednesday”.

“We as a family are so saddened by this loss. We will celebrate Jason’s life with a service...”

A bystander earlier told the Herald he saw the car that hit a pedestrian “spinning” out of control for several metres during the incident on Wednesday.

“I heard a bang and looked out the window. The car appeared to have been rear-ended on the left side, which sent it spinning,” he said.

“I saw the guy on the ground and they were doing CPR and then they stopped, and I thought, ‘Oh, you don’t stop, that’s not good’.”

A local business owner said he heard the sound of a car hitting a kerb and then saw the vehicle spinning across the road.

“The silver car looked like it had been hit from the back.

Jason McEwen died at the scene despite CPR efforts. Photo / Jason Dorday

“Then I saw all the cars facing the wrong direction and then the man on the footpath with the brown dog two metres away from him.”

The business owner said he was still in shock from what he saw.

“I [felt] like, ‘Oh my god, what is going on’. Last night I woke up at two o’clock and could not go back to sleep.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen [something like] this.”

Soon after the crash a nearby shop worker told the Herald they heard a “massive thud” before emergency services rushed to the scene.

“One of the guys in here saw a man lying on the road unresponsive ... I’m not sure if he was trying to cross the road or was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

New North Road in Mt Albert where a pedestrian died after being struck by a vehicle. Photo / Michael Craig

The person said a group of five or six people surrounded the man after the incident and “attempted to help” before emergency services arrived minutes later and reportedly performed CPR on the pedestrian.

A fallen signpost remained on the footpath at the scene of the fatal crash.

A police spokesperson said investigations were ongoing following the pedestrian death after they were struck by a vehicle.

“Sadly, police can confirm the pedestrian died at the scene despite being provided medical assistance at the scene.

“An investigation will now commence to establish the full set of circumstances surrounding the serious crash.”