Second violent attack
Two 19-year-olds face serious assault charges after an incident that left a man in hospital in a critical condition.
Police have charged two 19-year-olds over an alleged assault on a 56-year-old man outside a Hastings petrol station on Sunday night. A man appeared in the Hastings District Court yesterday charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. A woman is set to appear in the same court on the same charge on Friday. The 56-year-old remained in the Hawke’s Bay Hospital in a critical condition yesterday afternoon, police said. Detective Inspector Mike Foster said police wanted to speak to anyone who had witnessed the alleged assault, outside the BP on Maraekakaho Rd, Stortford Lodge, about 10.55pm on Sunday. A cordon surrounded a picnic table outside the BP yesterday morning while a scene examination took place. A police guard was at the scene as cones were laid and police photographers took photos. A BP spokeswoman said staff were assisting police in their investigation following the incident. As the inquiry was ongoing, she said they were unable to provide any further detail. The alleged violence comes just days after 30-year-old Bruce Tracey Wirihana-Hawkins died at a Lumsden Rd address. Emergency services arrived on the scene to a report of a critically injured man and administered CPR but he died about 2.35am on Friday. In a death notice, WirihanaHawkins’ family said he was “tragically taken”. He was a father to six. A 42-year-old, who has interim name suppression, is charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and appeared in the Hastings District Court on Saturday.