KEY POINTS:
A young woman has been left widowed for the second time after her partner was mown down and killed by a hit-and-run driver in the Bay of Islands early yesterday.
Peter Jepson, 36, was killed in Paihia as he walked home to his partner Moana Cross, 37, and their two boys, aged 11 and 2. He had been celebrating his brother's return from England.
Moana Cross lost her first husband - the father of the 11-year-old - to a congenital heart condition when the couple lived in Australia 10 years ago.
Although she and Peter Jepson were not married, the couple were longterm partners and the parents of the 2-year-old boy.
Last night, Peter and Moana's families were gathered in Waitangi, waiting for Moana to arrive home with her partner's body. A family spokesman, Bruce Marshall, said she was distraught but would be a pillar of strength for her two boys "with the help of everyone."
"We're waiting to get him home, and then we can grieve properly."
He said the tragedy was still sinking in, and the family was not angry with the driver. "Not at this stage - that will come later, but for now we are focusing on Moana."
Passers-by tried in vain to save Jepson, by using CPR, after he was knocked down and suffered serious injuries about 3.40am.
A 21-year-old Kaikohe man was later arrested by police and charged with careless driving causing death and failing to stop to ascertain injury. He will appear in court tomorrow.
Police were last night conducting forensic examinations on a maroon Honda Accord hatchback. They said it had significant damage, including a broken windscreen, side window and a missing front left tyre.
Police are appealing for anyone who saw the car on the 20km between Paihia and Kaikohe to come forward.
"It would have been making a lot of sparks being driven on its left-hand rim," said Detective Inspector Mike Pannett. He said alcohol was unlikely to have been a factor but speed was not being ruled out.
Jepson was knocked down on waterfront Marsden Rd, which links Paihia and Waitangi.
Marshall said Jepson, his brother-in-law, "wouldn't hurt a fly".
He believed Jepson may have passed up a seat in a cab in favour of walking to his Waitangi home for some fresh air.
Beachfront Pacific Terraces Motel manager Di Hay said her husband heard a "loud screeching of tyres and a thud" but did not investigate because such noises were not unusual.
She said hoons frequented the street and requests for measures to slow traffic had been ignored.
"It sounds awful, but we were waiting for something like this to happen. There is a lot of trouble with speeding vehicles at night and in the early hours of the morning."
Hay said Jepson was a "lovely chap" who waved hello as he walked to the Paihia Beach Resort and Spa, where he worked as a security guard.
A spokeswoman for the resort said Jepson worked there during the summer season. "He was a very diligent and dedicated employee who was very sincere and very compassionate. He was a great family guy who talked about his wife and kids constantly. It's an absolute shame to lose him."
