‘Do the right thing’

The mother of a boy hit by a woman driver in West Auckland has pleaded for her to come forward.

Samuel Hunter, 14, was struck by a car while crossing Heaphy St in Blockhouse Bay on October 25.

He was on a usual route home from school about 4pm when a woman, police described as middleaged, solid and with short pink hair, hit him.

Police said the driver stopped and spoke to Samuel but left without giving any details. He was hit less than 1-kilometre from home.

His mother Claire Sinclair said she hoped the woman had a conscience.

‘‘We’d like her to come forward and do the right thing because it’s pretty sad,’’ she said.

‘‘It was totally frightening. Just for my son, he couldn’t quite believe it. It was frightening for him too.’’

Sinclair said her son walked with a broken ankle to the Blockhouse Bay Medical Centre 100 metres away. A staff member then alerted his mother.

‘‘He didn’t know it was broken at that stage and walked to the medical centre. He was pretty shocked about it.’’

The Blockhouse Bay resident said her son had got about halfway across the road when the driver beeped her horn, then struck Samuel’s right leg. She said Samuel had said a few swear words at the woman but she didn’t take it well and drove off.

At the time of print, Senior Constable Andrew Tangney said police were looking for the driver.

The Caucasian woman was driving a Toyota Rav 4 SUV with a silver fern logo on the spare tyre on the back, he said.

Sinclair said her son spent two nights in Starship Hospital and he may also need surgery.

‘‘He’s been on paracetamol every day. He’s got to be in bed because he can’t put any weight down on it,’’ she said.

‘‘He was angry as well and hoping they [police] would catch her.’’

SAFER CROSSINGS

Residents have been calling for safer pedestrian crossings around the controversial intersection near where the accident occurred.

Blockhouse Bay resident Bryan Dove warned in September a child would be hit.

‘‘The circumstances of this incident are appalling,’’ he said.

Police were reviewing CCTV footage from the accident scene but would like to hear from anyone who witnessed this incident or knows who the driver is.

Contact police on 09 213 8432 or 09 302 6400. Or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.