Matamata crash victim named as English farm worker
Police have named the 24-year-old Englishman who died when he was hit by a car near Matamata on Saturday night.
Michael William Spink from North Yorkshire in England had been in New Zealand for about eight months and was working locally on a farm when he was struck by a car on State Highway 27 on Saturday night.
Police are still waiting for toxicology reports as they look into the series of events that ended in his death.
Detective Sergeant Jason Perry says the man, who lived on a local farm, had been socialising with friends in Matamata earlier in the night.
The man was walking north along State Highway 7 towards Waharoa when he was struck from behind by a vehicle. Photo: Google Maps
His car was found in a ditch on the highway a short time after he left his friends, at around 11.30pm.
It's believed he had decided to walk around 10km back to the farm.
"As he has been walking north along State Highway 7 towards Waharoa he has been struck from behind by a vehicle," Det Sgt Perry said.
Police were called but the man died at the scene.
While the driver returned a negative breath test, police say they are still waiting on toxicology reports for the dead man.
– With NZN
