After questioning the driver police learned just prior to the crash, he had blinded by the flashing headlights of a truck, perhaps trying to warn him of the man on the road.
"Perhaps unfortunately for the deceased a truck approaching the driver flashed his headlights at him, probably because the driver had not seen the gentleman walking on the road.
"And for a moment, the driver looked to check if his own headlights weren't on high beam and as he has looked up the gentleman has just stepped out in front of him."
Van de Wetering said they still had several inquiries to make and were keen to hear from the truck driver who flashed his lights at the car.
"We would appeal to the driver, if he reads this story, if he could contact the serious crash unit at the [Waikato] road policing base."
They have already spoken to up to two other motorists who had reported a man walking along Tasman Rd in the dark prior to the crash, he said.
As for any learnings from the incident, Van de Wetering reminded people who were either walking or biking on the road at night to wear adequate, high visibility clothing and "to be safe in terms of where they are".
It had been a nightmare week on the roads in the Waikato so far, with three people now killed.
Hamilton man Boyd Mangu Katipa, 54, died after his ute and a truck collided on SH1, Karapiro early Saturday, while later that morning a person died and another was seriously injured after a two-car crash on State Highway 2 at Waitakaruru.
A woman also died in a crash which left her husband seriously injured after their truck and a car collided on SH3 near Otorohanga on Monday night.
