Pedestrian attacked by driver after argument

A man who was left lying unconscious in a pool of blood on a central Auckland city street early yesterday was allegedly attacked after he objected to a car revving up at a set of traffic lights.

Invercargill man Ronnie Heker had only recently arrived in Auckland when he was struck in the head by another man with what witnesses say was a piece of wood.

The 26-year-old was rushed to Auckland hospital with a fractured skull and bleeding from the brain.

The incident happened near the corner of Queen and Customs Sts just after 2am yesterday.

Police were so concerned for Mr Heker's life that they initially treated the incident as a homicide and cordoned off the area.

Joshua Rapihana, 17, who was enjoying a night out with a friend in the same area, said the man appeared to say something to the driver of a car who was revving his engine loudly.

"The driver got out of the car, whacked the dude across the front of the head with a 30cm block of wood, got back in the car and then drove off. The guy just dropped and was unconscious."

Onlookers comforted the injured man until an ambulance arrived on the scene.

Police said Mr Heker had regained consciousness but it would probably be two or three days before they could talk to him.

His condition last night was listed as stable.

Two 18-year-olds have been arrested and will appear in the Auckland District Court tomorrow on serious assault charges. Police are still seeking information.

The victim's mother, Marie Heker, told the Herald on Sunday that her son, a former freezing worker and father of two young daughters, had only been in Auckland a few days, looking for work.

"To think that someone could hit someone else ... like that. How dare they, he could have been killed," she said.

Mrs Heker spoke to her son in hospital. "He is in pain and can't really remember what happened."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY