KEY POINTS:
A young Hastings man has told of "freaking out" after witnessing a horrific accident which left an 11-year-old runaway dead.
Andrew Seong Chan was killed after being struck by a van on the Napier-Hastings expressway on Friday night.
Police said he had had an argument with his parents and was apparently running away from home.
His parents, out looking for him in their car, arrived at the crash scene moments after it happened.
Eyewitness Sam Narborough, 16, said he had been driving north towards Napier about 6.45pm, when he saw Andrew, clad in pyjamas, waving his arms around as though trying to attract attention.
"Then the van just hit him, and I saw him lying on the road."
He had "freaked out" and driven off but later called police, who had received numerous calls from other motorists who had seen Andrew running along the highway.
Still shaken Narborough said the accident had so traumatised him he had been unable to sleep.
Yesterday the only signs of the tragedy which had closed the busy main road for three hours, were several yellow arrows and other markings.
Police said the Chans were "understandably extremely upset".
Senior Sergeant Andy Sloane said the van driver had stopped immediately after the accident.
