Teen targeted: Waikato 15-year-old critically injured after car driven over him multiple times

A teenage boy run over multiple times in a targeted attack may well die, says the police detective investigating the violent incident at a Ngāruawāhia sports park on Wednesday.

The 15-year-old was fighting for his life in Waikato Hospital’s intensive care unit, having suffered multiple fractures and internal injuries when he was deliberately struck by a person driving a black Toyota Auris, who then ran the boy over twice more, Detective Inspector Darrell Harpur told Newstalk ZB’s Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive this afternoon.

The boy was on Old Taupiri Rd near the entrance of the Hopuhopu Sports Park at 5pm when he was struck. It’s understood he had been visiting his grandmother when he was targeted by the driver.

Newshub reported that the boy’s father visited the spot where he was hit this afternoon, saying his son was a good boy and he couldn’t understand why he had been singled out.

Harpur urged the public to come forward with any information or dashcam footage that might help police find the driver. They hadn’t been able to speak to the teen and were keeping an open mind on why he was attacked.

“The injuries this young man sustained are life-changing and our sympathies are with him and his whānau. We’ve got a victim liaison officer, and whatever we can do to support them, we will, but there’s a long, long road ahead and he may well pass away.”

The community could be reassured police believed the teen was targeted.

“If you look at the behaviours involved, there’s obviously a lot of anger ... it’s not certainly something you would do randomly, pick someone at random and run them down and then run over them twice.”

Waikato District Council Mayor Jacqui Church said the incident was “really concerning for myself and the community” and expressed sympathy for the 15-year-old’s family.

“If anyone has any information that they can support and provide to the police who are doing a really good job of investigating it and putting it as a priority.”

Police wanted to hear from anyone who had seen the Toyota Auris, which he described as “essentially a Japanese import Corolla” and which had the number plate NBE817.

Police have published a photo of the car in the hope that people might have information on its previous whereabouts.

The car was in Huntly about 4.40pm before being driven to the Hopuhopu area.

It was later abandoned in the carpark area of the Pukemokemoke Bush Reserve near Tauhei.

“We would like to hear from any members of the public or motorists who may have seen this car, or have dashcam footage, who were travelling in the Huntly area, on Great South Rd and the Taupiri area on Wednesday afternoon, particularly between 4.30 and 5.30pm,” Harpur said.

“We would also like to hear from anyone who saw this car or may have dashcam footage in and around Pukemokemoke Bush Reserve on Tauhei Rd.”

Police have set up a portal for images and short recordings to be uploaded. This can be accessed here.

Anyone with information or larger quantities of footage can contact police on 105 quoting the file number 240410/3018, Harpur said.

“If it’s too big a file, then we will send out a detective to download it.”

Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.