Waikato Police have arrested a 28-year-old man after a serious incident in which a 15-year-old was run over by a car multiple times at Ngāruawāhia sports park on Wednesday.  

The 15-year-old is fighting for his life in Waikato Hospital’s intensive care unit, having suffered multiple fractures and internal injuries when he was deliberately struck by a person driving a black Toyota Auris, who then ran the boy over twice more. 

Detective Inspector Darrell Harpur said the 28-year-old has been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and is due to appear in Hamilton District Court today. 

“Police are not ruling out further arrests. On Thursday night police investigating this incident located the car believed to have been used, abandoned in the carpark area of the Pukemokemoke Bush Reserve near Tauhei.” 

Harpur said police would still like to hear from anyone who may have seen this car – a black Toyota Auris with the registration number NBE817. 

“We would like to hear from any members of the public or motorists who may have seen this car or have dashcam footage, who were travelling in the Huntly area, on Great South Rd and the Taupiri area on Wednesday afternoon, particularly between 4.30 and 5.30pm. 

“We would also like to hear from anyone who saw this car or may have dashcam footage in and around Pukemokemoke Bush Reserve on Tauhei Rd.” 

Waikato District Council Mayor Jacqui Church said the incident was “really concerning” for herself and the community and expressed sympathy for the 15-year-old’s family. 

She urged anyone with information to provide it to police, “who are doing a really good job of investigating it and putting it as a priority”. 

Police have set up a portal for images and short recordings to be uploaded. This can be accessed here. 

Anyone with information or larger quantities of footage can contact police on 105 quoting the file number 240410/3018, Harpur said. 

“If it’s too big a file, then we will send out a detective to download it.” 

This article was originally published on the NZ Herald here.