Tauranga man charged after alleged assault leaves victim critical on State Highway 2

Police have charged a person after a man was found critically injured on a road in Bethlehem this week.

Emergency services were called to the State Highway 2/Te Paeroa Rd roundabout around midnight on Tuesday after a man was discovered injured on the road.

“Police believe the man is a victim of a serious and unprovoked assault and was not hit by a vehicle,” a spokesman told the Bay of Plenty Times today.

The Tauranga Criminal Investigation Branch arrested a 26-year-old Tauranga man on Thursday, the spokesman said.

“He is due to appear in Tauranga District Court at a later date, charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.”

The injured man remained in hospital in a serious condition.

SH2 was closed for several hours on Wednesday morning.