A 20-year-old man may have been sleeping when he was run over by a van in Southland early this morning leaving him with critical injures.
After being initially transferred to Southland Hospital by road ambulance, he was operated on at that hospital before being transferred to Dunedin Hospital by the Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter late this morning.
A police spokeswoman said the man was run over in Winton-Hedgehope Highway, north of Norman Road just before 4am this morning.
"A group of young people were being dropped off after returning from a private function. The 20-year-old has got out of the van and been run over at low speed," police said.
The van was travelling at a low speed when it hit the man, she said.
The injured man had surgery in Southland Hospital and was being flown to Dunedin Hospital.
The driver was speaking with police and no-one else was being sought.
A St John spokesman said one patient was taken to Southland Hospital with critical injuries.
Police earlier said the man was 19-years-old and there were reports he was sleeping on the road when he was hit.
