Grieving dad ‘wants to see face’ of accused
The father of a wedding-day hitand-run victim will this week come face to face with the man who allegedly ran his son over on the outskirts of Cambridge.
William Gregory Hoskins, 26, was left injured and bleeding on the side of State Highway 1B, at the intersection with Bellevue Rd, early on Sunday morning after attending the wedding of his cousin, Erin Hoskins, to Oliver Cameron.
Many relatives of Ms Hoskins from around the country booked out half of a Cambridge motel and came to the Cameron family’s property in Marychurch Rd for the wedding.
Mr Hoskins, of Hastings, was found by a passing motorist with multiple trauma injuries.
He was still breathing when emergency services arrived, but died soon after.
A 47-year-old local man yesterday handed himself in to the police over Mr Hoskins’ death.
He will appear in the Hamilton District Court on Friday facing a charge of careless driving causing death.
Mr Hoskins’ father, Greg Hoskins, said he and a large contingent of Nga Puhi relatives would attend the court appearance.
‘‘I’m definitely coming up [for his court appearance]. I want to see his face.
‘‘My son was a legend and his life has been snuffed out.
‘‘There will be over a 100 foot soldiers who will show up, not a problem.’’
Mr Hoskins said the family had initially been told by the police that the driver had allegedly stopped his vehicle after hitting William.
He said he understood the driver had removed a piece of damaged bumper from the car, before driving on.
Mr Hoskins had no idea why his son was on the road at the time it is believed he was hit – between 4.30am and 4.50am.
‘‘I wouldn’t have a clue. He might have just gone out there to try to get back to the motel.
‘‘I don’t know what he was up to,’’ he said.
‘‘There were half a dozen or so who had carried on drinking and [were] just having some fun.’’
Mr Hoskins said his niece – the bride – was ‘‘absolutely shattered’’ after news of the death.
Mr Hoskins’ partner, Philippa Mcdonald, said William was the eldest of three siblings – Daniel, 22, who has twice, unsuccessfully, stood for the Hastings District Council, and sister Elyse, who was flying to New Zealand from South Africa, where she had been doing aid work.
William had worked for his father’s concreting company, JMC Concrete Ltd, in Hastings for the past five years after completing an electrical apprenticeship.
Ms Mcdonald said William loved rugby and was very social, with a big circle of friends.
The family was devastated by the loss of a man who was looking forward to travelling and ‘‘had his life ahead of him’’.
Speaking through tears, Ms McDonald said William was known by the nicknames ‘‘gremlin’’ or ‘‘grems’’, and would be remembered for his love of rugby, socialising and Christmas.
‘‘One of his great passions was covering his whole house with lights, inside and out,’’ she said.
He ‘‘scrubbed up very well in a suit’’ and was ‘‘very popular with the ladies’’.
‘‘He had a wide circle of friends and had a cheeky sense of humour.’’
He was raised in Hastings with his siblings.
He was educated at Parkvale Primary School and Karamu High School.
He would be irreplaceable at his father’s company, Ms Mcdonald said.
Mr Hoskins said the family would return to Hastings as soon as the body was returned after a post-mortem examination in Auckland.
A tangi will begin in Hastings on Thursday or Friday.