Man charged after RWC hit and run

The mother of a teenage hit and run victim says she tries not to think too much about what happened to her son because it brings back too many bad memories.

Charges have been laid against a man who allegedly hit and killed Sanele Pauli, 17, in Auckland on the night of the Rugby World Cup final.

Sanele, of Mt Roskill, was hit by a silver Nissan Primera after he stepped off a bus with his brothers just 500m from his home early on Labour Day last year.

On Monday, a 38-year-old man was charged with excess breath alcohol causing death, his third and subsequent excess breath alcohol charge, Auckland road policing manager Gavin Macdonald said.

The unemployed man was also charged with being a disqualified driver, also his third and subsequent charge.

He would appear in Auckland District Court on April 24.

Sanele's mother Teevao Pauli today said she was told of the charges yesterday.

It was difficult bringing everything up again, she said.

"I told [the police officer] everything that they are doing, I just want to thank them, but it's up to them.

"But between me and the driver I just pray in God... it's between him and God, but I don't want to get involved in this case, the whole process,'' she said.

She said she had tried not to think about it too much and had hardly called police to ask what was going on before the charges were laid, she said.

"Sometimes it makes me feel angry and upset.

"Every time that we talk about this it brings back all the bad memories we had from the beginning, we're trying real hard to move on.''

 

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