Family, teammates grieve over tragic end to dream

Duncan Barrowman had been looking forward to the Cook Islands trip for months.

Duncan Barrowman should be playing rugby in the Cook Islands in the Golden Oldies tournament he had been looking forward to for months.

Instead, his family and teammates met his body at Auckland Airport last night after the 43-year-old truck driver was run down - possibly deliberately - by a drink-driver in Rarotonga.

Teammates with Mr Barrowman at the time of the crash said they were walking back from a pub to their hotel on Friday night New Zealand time when the man drove his truck into Mr Barrowman.

The players said the man had been asked to leave the pub earlier after he became aggressive towards them, but Mr Barrowman had not been involved in the incident.

Cook Islands police told theHerald yesterday they had arresteda 31-year-old carpenter for drink-driving, but could not say whether the driver's actions were deliberate.

Mr Barrowman's father, Don Barrowman, said yesterday that his son had been "absolutely devoted" to his children, Thomas, 10, Gus, 9, Rachel, 7, and Andrew 5.

"They are totally bereft. It's now really starting to sink in that their Dad has died.

"The little fella [Andrew] said to my wife as he was standing in front of a photo ... 'My Dad's dead'."

Mr Barrowman said his son had always loved rugby and had been involved with the Manukau Rovers for four years. He had put a lot of time into his role as the club's junior delegate.

He had been involved in the club management before being talked into playing as a hooker in the over-35s side two years ago.

Duncan's wife of 10 years, Mani, and the children were shocked the tournament had ended in tragedy.

"He was speaking to me about it for months, he was really looking forward to it."

Mr Barrowman said the fact that his son's death was unprovoked was the worst thing to cope with.

"That's the hard part - a fit of madness on someone's part that can affect so many people in so many different ways."

Funeral arrangements were yet to be made but Mr Barrowman said his son would be taken to the Mangere rugby club as part of his final farewell.

Truck-driving colleague Paul Kennedy said he had known Mr Barrowman for 11 years.

"He's a good father, a good husband and a hard worker. And he had a wicked sense of humour. Just a nice, genuine guy.

"He wasn't a big man but he had a heart of gold. There's nothing he wouldn't do for you."

The Cook Islands officer in charge of the case, Detective Inspector Akatauira Matapo, told the Herald the accused man had appeared in court charged with driving with a breath-alcohol reading of 440mcg per litre of breath. The legal limit is 400mcg.

Officers were waiting on a post mortem report from Auckland pathologists before deciding if the man would face further charges.

The man had been forbidden to drive, ordered to surrender his passport and forbidden to interfere with witnesses.

He will appear in court again tomorrow.