Pedestrian dies after van accident

Photo / File

A man who was killed when he was hit by a van and dragged down a Hamilton street early yesterday may have been drunk, police say.

Witnesses saw the 27-year-old man wander out into the middle of Thackeray St and into the path of an oncoming taxi van about 3.30am, Waikato road policing manager Inspector Leo Tooman said.

"He was struck down and dragged a short distance by the vehicle," he said.

Staff from the nearby Anglesea Medical Centre were unable to resuscitate the man.

The death is the third in central Hamilton this year after two elderly women were killed in Victoria St, and the seventh pedestrian fatality on Waikato roads this year.

The Hamilton man was seen by a passing motorist stumbling on to the road at the driveway of the Anglesea Clinic about 3.30am yesterday.

The witness told police he had stumbled into the path of a taxi van heading back to the CBD.

The man died at the scene despite attempts by a doctor at the medical centre to resuscitate him.

Mr Tooman said alcohol appeared to be a factor but police were waiting for toxicology results.

"It appears he was with his mates in town and our understanding is his mates had left a little bit earlier than him."

Mr Tooman urged people to be careful when they were out, look after their mates and said they did not need to keep drinking until the CBD bars closed at 3am.

"Have a drink, sure, but drink responsibly and that way you will get to live another day."

While Mr Tooman said it was unclear whether the man had been trying to hail the cab, he advised people to keep $25 so they could get a taxi home safely or board the Night Rider bus.

The man, who had not been named last night, was wearing black clothing which made it harder for drivers to see.

The serious crash unit and the commercial vehicle investigation unit are investigating, but police said they had no reason at this stage to believe the driver was in the wrong.

Three pedestrians have died in Hamilton's central business district this year after being hit by veichles.

A fourth death occurred in Ruakura Rd when Hamilton Boys' High School student Shaun Malthus was hit on his way to class on June 30.

The three other pedestrians killed in the Waikato were hit in Gordonton, Waihi and Matamata. The high toll compares with 12 deaths in the Waikato between 2006 and 2010.

In the past two months police had brought six additional patrols from outside the district and the Government and city council had re-engineered the roads to make them safer, Mr Tooman said.

DEADLY ROADS

* Third pedestrian death in the city this year.

* Seventh pedestrian death in Waikato this year.

* Between 2006 and last year there were 12 pedestrian-related deaths.