Massey driveway death: Son pleads not guilty to killing father with vehicle

A man accused of murdering his father by running him over in a driveway has denied the charge.

Aaren James Wilson, appeared in Auckland High Court today, charged with the murder of Robert John Wilson, 63, on December 10.

The 37-year-old pleaded not guilty through lawyer Graham Newell and was allowed to remain on bail, on the condition he does not drive.

Justice Mary Peters set a trial date for May 2026.

The home address of the son listed on court documents is co-owned by his father, according to property records.

The police cordon in place outside the long driveway in the quiet Lanham Lane cul-de-sac where Robert John Wilson, 63, died on December 10. Photo / Alex Burton

Police responded to reports that a car had hit a man, on a Lanham Lane driveway in Massey last December, just before 7pm.

Street residents told the Herald they heard a large 4WD driving noisily in the area at the time.

“Sadly, despite the best efforts of ambulance staff, the victim succumbed to his injuries at the scene,” Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Williams said at the time.

Police found the car in Avondale that night, but the driver was arrested in Thames, Coromandel, 128km from where the incident occurred.

Police previously confirmed the victim and arrested man knew each other, and said they were not looking for anybody else.

Specialist police staff, including a forensic photographer and Serious Crash Unit members, at the scene after Robert John Wilson, 63, died on December 10. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Jaime Lyth is a multimedia journalist for the New Zealand Herald, focusing on crime and breaking news. Jaime Lyth began working under the NZ Herald masthead in 2021, as a reporter for the Northern Advocate in Whangārei.

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