Woman almost crushed by toppled pole at supermarket

A woman narrowly missed being crushed by a lamppost as she was loading shopping into her car at a Dunedin supermarket yesterday.

The woman’s close call came when the pole fell after it was hit by another vehicle in the car park of Countdown Central in Dunedin.

Witnesses said the woman, who had a young child with her, was loading groceries into the passenger side of a Volkswagen Passat station wagon at 3pm.

Senior Sergeant Ian Paulin, of Dunedin, said the driver of a Hyundai SUV had a ‘‘minor medical event’’, which led to her accelerating into a pole, sending it crashing on to the station wagon, which was parked opposite.

The incident was attended by staff from Fire and Emergency New Zealand, police and St John.

Snr Sgt Paulin said the driver of the station wagon was a little shaken, and was looked after by Countdown staff.

St John confirmed an ambulance responded and one person in a stable condition was taken to Dunedin Hospital.

Police said both motorists were uninjured, and both vehicles were insured.

courtney.white@odt.co.nz