Waikato police say a man who stepped in front of a petrol tanker and was critically injured last night may have been affected by alcohol.
The 24-year-old man was hit by a tanker as he stood in the middle of the road waving his arms near Maramarua, on the Hauraki Plains, southeast of Auckland, about 10.50pm.
Acting Senior Sergeant Mark Toomey of Huntly police said the Maramarua man left a local cafe about and drove a short distance on State Highway 2 before running into a ditch.
"He's managed to reverse his car out and continue on a short distance on the wrong side of the road before stopping.
"The man was then seen standing in the middle of the road waving his arms before being struck down by an oncoming southbound fuel tanker."
Mr Toomey said the man was flown by rescue helicopter to Auckland Hospital where he remained in a critical condition with serious head and chest injuries this afternoon.
It was too early to say why the man crashed into the ditch but alcohol appeared to be a factor.
The tanker driver was shaken but not hurt.
