Hunt for hit and run driver

Lincoln Hapeta, 16, is in Middlemore Hospital. Picture / Richard Robinson

Ralph Timoteo was told to prepare for the worst as doctors wheeled his 16-year-old son, Lincoln Hapeta, into surgery following a hit-and-run.

The impact of the accident had torn the teenager's liver and caused massive bleeding, which an initial operation failed to fix.

As Lincoln underwent his second operation on Saturday his family waited anxiously at Middlemore Hospital, hoping for the best.

They were also hoping the person who hit Lincoln planned to hand him or herself in.

The accident happened late on Friday night as Lincoln and his cousin were waiting at the end of their Raglan St, Mangere, address for relatives to pick them up.

It is not known exactly what happened, but Lincoln, who was in Auckland visiting family for the school holidays, was hit by a van.

The driver did not stop.

The Rotorua Boys High School student was thrown across the footpath and onto the grass verge. He came to rest up against a white picket fence.

Bleeding and in pain, he told his cousin he was struggling to breathe.

It was roughly at that time that Mr Timoteo noticed some commotion at the end of his relative's long driveway and went to investigate.

"I walked around the corner, and he [Lincoln] was on the ground," he said. "It was gut wrenching. I just held him and tried to control my emotions."

Mr Timoteo travelled in the ambulance with his son, who needed four times his usual blood levels pumped into him to replace lost blood.

At the hospital Mr Timoteo called Lincoln's mother, Kirsten Hapeta, who lives in Otaki. She boarded a plane and arrived soon after the second operation had begun.

"They had said to Ralph, 'You should prepare for the worst'.

"When I got there 10 minutes later, that's what he said to me so we were freaking out."

Fortunately doctors were able to stop the bleeding and repair Lincoln's torn liver.

Last night he remained in intensive care, but his parents are confident that he will recover.

With that in mind they now have time to think about the person who left Lincoln lying injured on the ground.

Mr Timoteo said he was initially really angry but that has subsided somewhat. "Our elders are keeping us grounded.

"When one talks about retribution, it solves nothing."

Mr Timoteo and Ms Hapeta urged the driver to hand himself of herself in to police.

"If they don't get caught ... there's a possibility it might happen again," said Ms Hapeta.

"It would be good for them to come and see Lincoln, if he wanted to. I would like [the driver] to see what it's done to all the family," she added.

Detective Sergeant Richard O'Connor said it was possible the driver did not initially realise he or she had hit someone.

However, there would probably be evidence of the accident on the front left-hand side of the van and the person would know by now what had happened.

Mr O'Connor said the longer the driver took to come forward the worse it looked.

The vehicle is described as a white van, possibly with bull bars. The windscreen or lights may be cracked or shattered, and there is possibly panel damage.

Anyone with information can contact Mr O'Connor or the Counties Manukau crime squad on (09) 261-1327 or 027 498-9010.