Father found dead a ‘top bloke’

A father killed in a possible hitand-run was walking home from a duck-shooting gathering to set up his wife’s birthday party.

Rikki McCall, 33, was found on the road near Owaka at 12.20am on Sunday.

Rikki’s father, Robin, said his son died just a couple of hundred metres from his home, as he walked home to set up his wife’s birthday party after a post-duck shooting gathering.

‘‘My son’s been killed . . . I don’t wish it on anyone.’’

Rikki and his wife have two daughters aged 2 and 6 years.

‘‘He was a very, very good father, way better than I was. He did the cooking; he changed the nappies,’’ Robin said. ‘‘He was a top young man.’’

Rikki was due to take over his father-in-law’s Owaka farm in June. Rikki and his father-in-law had been working together, Robin said.

His life had been mapped out and it was ‘‘taken away from us, especially his wife and kids’’, Robin said.

Rikki was a popular man, his father said, who coached rugby at Geraldine while he worked on his grandmother’s farm.

The 33-year-old played the bagpipes in a pipe band in Balclutha and coached rugby in Owaka, Robin said. ‘‘He was just a part of the community.’’

He coached the Owaka premier rugby team for two years and had been helping out behind the scenes this year, a club member said. ‘‘He was just a good, genuine man.’’

Police said initial indications suggested McCall may have been struck by a vehicle about 5km from the township.

‘‘Information would suggest he’s been duck shooting,’’ police said on Monday.

An autopsy was to be carried out yesterday.