Boy, 7, walks past body on way to school

Hardavinder Singh and son Lennex do not look back at a body in front of their driveway on the way to the 7-year-old's first day of the school year.

A Tauranga man about to walk with his young son on his first day of school was shocked to discover a body outside his Welcome Bay home.

Hardavinder Singh was confronted by police and a taped-off area around the body of a 33-year-old Merivale man killed in an alleged hit-and-run overnight Monday.

MOVING ON: Hardavinder Singh and son Lennex do not look back at a body in front of their driveway on the way to the 7-year-old's first day of the school year.

The victim's body lay on the road in front of Mr Singh's driveway yesterday morning.

A black Subaru is believed to have struck the victim about 11pm on Monday and he died as a result of his injuries. The car was driven from the scene and police believe they later found it parked behind a Papamoa house.

The incident closed Welcome Bay Rd between James Cook Drive and Kaitemako Rd for nine hours while police and forensic scientists examined the area, just outside the Welcome Bay Foodmarket.

"We hadn't heard anything until I woke up at 4am and saw flashing lights," Mr Singh said.

"I came up to the deck, thought it was probably roadworks. Then I saw the police, emergency service tape around the scene," he said.

"Then I realised something was definitely serious.

"I came out and saw the cops and I could see the man under the sheet. That's how I found out," he said.

"It's just terrible, right in front of our driveway."

Mr Singh said his son, Lennex, 7, was due to start school for the year yesterday.

"We thought about giving him a day off but, no, life goes on."

Father and son walked hand in hand around the body.

Resident Ian Griffiths said he had heard sirens the previous night.

"We were up until about midnight. We heard sirens but we hear them all the time. We didn't know," he said.

A friend of the victim said he was devastated to hear of his death.

The victim's boss said he had been doing work experience for the past six weeks to two months.

He said he learned of his employees death after the dead man's partner sent him a text message at 7am yesterday.

"It's a devastating blow. I feel very sad and sorry about what's happened. I really liked [him] and had plans for him. He was one of the few fellas who was prepared to put the effort in [during his training] and I was planning to offer him a permanent position."

He said despite only knowing each other only a short time they got on well.

"Talking about [him] brings tears to my eyes," he said.

He said from some of the things the victim had told him he gained the sense he had a hard life and was keen to help him.

A Papamoa man yesterday appeared in the Tauranga District Court charged with murder.

The 32-year-old was remanded in custody.

He is accused of running down the victim about 11pm on Monday. He did not enter a plea and will next appear in the High Court at Tauranga on February 18.

Western Bay of Plenty Police Inspector Karl Wright-St Clair said police would not be making further comment while the matter was before the courts.

Police were still seeking witnesses and would also like to speak to anyone who saw a black Subaru between 8pm and midnight in the Mount Maunganui, Papamoa or Welcome Bay area. Anyone with information about the incident should contact Tauranga police on 577 4300.