Runaway car pins cyclist, breaks his leg

An Oamaru man was seriously injured after he was trapped under a car outside Mitre 10 Mega in...
An Oamaru man was seriously injured after he was trapped under a car outside Mitre 10 Mega in Oamaru on Monday. PHOTO: JULES CHIN
An Oamaru man faces a long recovery after his femur was shattered when he became pinned under a car while trying to leave a hardware store.

The 75-year-old had just left Oamaru’s Mitre 10 Mega in Dee St at 11.45am on Monday and was mounting his e-bike when a woman drove over the concrete barrier at speed, pinning him underneath the vehicle, Sergeant Matt Lee, of Dunedin, said.

The 76-year-old woman’s car rolled backwards off the man, then he was caught between it and the building’s concrete wall.

Emergency services were called to assist and it was discovered his leg was broken, Sgt Lee said.

Inquiries revealed the woman had been attempting to enter a carpark when her foot slipped off the brake and on to the accelerator. She shot forward, sped over the barrier, and collided with the man.

He was transported to Oamaru Hospital in a serious condition, Sgt Lee said.

Allied Media spoke to a nearby shopper yesterday who said there was a "very loud bang" that was heard in the store.

"It was very loud and we all knew something happened but I was very impressed with the Mitre 10 staff and the processes they had in place and emergency teams were there very quickly," they said.

laine.priestley@odt.co.nz