A 28-year-old man has been arrested after a "serious incident" where a 15-year-old boy was "purposely" run over by a car multiple times in Ngāruawāhia earlier this week.
Detective Inspector Darrell Harpur said the boy was walking near the entrance to the Hopuhopu Sports Park at around 5pm on Wednesday when he was struck by the car.
The boy suffered multiple serious injuries and was taken to Waikato Hospital where he remains in a critical condition.
"Police believe this was a targeted attack, and the driver of the car purposely struck the victim before then driving the car over him more than once," Harpur said yesterday.
The car believed to have been used in the attack was abandoned in the car park area of the Pukemokemoke Bush Reserve near Tauhei on Thursday night.
Harpur said police are not ruling out any further arrests.
"Police would still like to hear from anyone who may have seen this car – a black Toyota Auris with the registration number NBE817."
Harpur said police would like to hear from anyone who may have seen the car travelling in the Huntly area on Great South Rd and the Taupiri area on Wednesday afternoon.
"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 Road."
Police have set up a portal for images and short recordings to be uploaded into.
Anyone with information or footage was urged to call police on 105.
The 28-year-old man has been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and is due to appear in Hamilton District Court today.
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