'A beautiful lady': Friends remember woman runover in supermarket carpark
A woman run over in an Auckland supermarket car park is being remembered by friends as a “beautiful lady” and much-loved member of the community.
Emergency services were called to Woolworths Sunnynook at 6.30pm last night following reports a woman had been hit by a car,
“Sadly, despite best efforts, the pedestrian died at the scene,” police said in a statement this morning.
A friend has now named the woman as Jeanette Penman, describing her as a “a beautiful lady” who would be missed.
Sarah Marie Bray told the Herald she had lived down the road from Penman and her husband for eight years.
“She leaves behind a lot of loving family who will be absolutely heartbroken, as you can imagine”, she said.
“She was a very kind person, and a lovely lady.”
Bray said Penman had lived in the area for a long time and was a “big part” of the local community. Her husband worked at the supermarket where she was struck.
“It’s a devastating loss for the Sunnynook community”, she said.
The Herald observed around 20 staff members grouped outside the supermarket, including the victim’s husband, listening to a speaker around 10.45am.
Photos from the scene last night show a vehicle appeared to have collided with a metal trolley bay, which had collapsed.
The supermarket, which is on the corner of Sunnynook Rd and Sycamore Drive, was closed last night but had re-opened this morning.
Woolworths Sunnynook staff gathered in a carpark where a person died after being hit by a vehicle last night.
“Police and emergency services are currently on site and we are cooperating fully with the authorities,” Woolworths NZ said last night.
“Our immediate focus is on supporting our team and their whānau to the fullest extent possible.
“As this is an active police investigation, Woolworths will be making no further comment at this time.”
The serious crash unit is investigating a pedestrian runover in a Sunnynook shopping centre carpark on Auckland's North Shore.
Katey Warren, a resident who lives near the carpark, said the situation was “so sad and devastating for everyone involved”.
Warren told the Herald she walks through the carpark all the time and the incident showed “just how quickly things can change”.
The crash in the carpark at the shopping centre last night. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Police last night said initial reports suggested the person had been seriously injured and the Serious Crash Unit had been advised.
Hato Hone St John said it received several calls about 6.25pm and sent an ambulance, rapid response unit and operations manager to the supermarket.
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