A Dunedin man who thought he was swerving to avoid hitting a child failed spectacularly when he crashed into a retaining wall, killing a duck.
Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond said police were called to Allandale Rd, St Clair, at 7.10pm on Saturday after a vehicle crashed into a wall.
The 38-year-old male driver had seen something out of the corner of his eye, which he initially thought may have been a child, but later realised it was, in fact, a duck.
No injuries were reported to the man. However, a "deceased duck" was found at the scene, Snr Sgt Bond said.
A resident said the man had told her he thought he was swerving to avoid a child.
When he swerved, he "ricocheted" down her retaining wall and ripped the front wheel off his truck.
Her retaining wall needed to be checked by her insurance company, but it was "a sight better than the man's car".
"He said he just saw something out the corner of his eye, and he didn't know what it was ... he said it looked like a child.
"I buried the duck remains in the garden."
