Pedestrian killed in ‘quiet’ road
A Blenheim man is urging his children to be careful after a pedestrian was killed in his ‘‘quiet’’ residential street.
Police have confirmed a pedestrian died after they were hit by a car in John St in Blenheim about 8.40pm on Friday.
St John spokeswoman Siobhan Campbell said ambulance services were called at 8.37pm.
Two ambulances, one manager and a first response vehicle were sent to the scene. One person, who is understood to have been in the car, was taken to Wairau Hospital’s emergency department in a serious condition.
A Stuff visual journalist at the scene also said there were about five police cars on site.
Resident Johnny Olivier said he was trying to go home about 11pm and found the road blocked off by police.
He and his family were escorted in on foot.
‘‘The body was lying there right in front of my van,’’ he said.
‘‘It was bad for my kids. I have got a 7-year-old and a 3-year-old, they were crying the whole time.’’
The family had moved to Blenheim a month ago from South Africa. Olivier said the area was generally ‘‘quiet’’ and his children rode bicycles in the street.
The car appeared to have mounted the footpath before crashing into a fence opposite his house. ‘‘It was shocking when we came in and saw all the police cars,’’ Olivier said.
‘‘We bought bicycles for the kids [on Boxing Day], and they have been up and down the whole time. I keep telling them don’t go into the street, stay on the path.
‘‘Last night I told my 7-yearold, you see what happens when you go into the street.’’
Other John St residents said they heard the crash happen on Friday night, and regularly heard cars speeding along their street.
‘‘[The driver] must have been going really fast,’’ said one resident, who did not want to be named.
A police spokesperson said officers left the scene about 12.30am on Saturday but were on the street investigating later on Saturday morning.
The serious crash unit attended and an investigation into the circumstances of the incident was under way, they said.
The fatality brings the holiday road toll to one. In the year to date, 348 people have died on New Zealand roads, including 11 in Nelson-marlborough.