A man who stopped to offer a ride to a hitchhiker was savagely beaten and left on the side of the road as his attacker took off with his vehicle.
Police are investigating the incident, which occurred on State Highway 2, near Wairoa, on Sunday night.
The man, in his 60s, was on his way from Gisborne to Napier when he stopped to pick up a hitchhiker about 10.30pm, Fairfax reported.
The driver's stepson said his stepfather suffered severe injuries and was due to undergo eye and facial surgery.
``This has really hit us for six,'' the stepson said.
``He is just the loveliest bloke whose life's work has been about helping others. It's just unfathomable that someone would have done this.
``It's unbelievable.''
The driver is recovering at Hawke's Bay Hospital.
However, family members said they were not expecting their father to get out of hospital soon.
