Father of 5 hit by truck on South Island highway after party



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Mathew Kevin John Arrowsmith, 40, was walking on State Highway 65 between Maruia Saddle Rd and Pea Soup Rd at the time of his death on Aug. 29.

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Mathew Kevin John Arrowsmith, 40, was walking on State Highway 65 between Maruia Saddle Rd and Pea Soup Rd at the time of his death on Aug. 29.

A father of five was hit by two trucks before his body was found on a highway near Murchison.

Mathew Kevin John Arrowsmith, 40, was walking on State Highway 65 between Maruia Saddle Rd and Pea Soup Rd at the time of his death on Aug. 29. Police were informed of the accident, which involved a pedestrian and a vehicle, at 1.27 am.

Tasmania District Road Safety Manager Senior Sergeant Grant Andrews previously said that Arrowsmith had come from a nearby property and was walking back to his trailer when the accident occurred.

Friend Luke King said Stuff that on the night of Arrowsmith’s death the two men were part of a group of seven celebrating a birthday at a property across the road from where they lived.

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King said he left the party around 9 p.m. and spent several hours with a sick cow until midnight. He later got a call from someone at the party who said, “Matt has been hit on the road.”

King, who went to the location where he identified Arrowsmith to police, said he was hit by two trucks. It is understood that the police have spoken to both drivers.

Arrowsmith’s wife of 10 years, Anna Arrowsmith, said Stuff she “had no idea” what happened.

He spoke to police on Sunday and had written a series of questions that he hopes will be answered.

“All the police have told me is that they are trying to find out how they found Matt dead on the road … that’s all they’ve told me, that’s all I know.”

The last two weeks had been a “living nightmare,” he said.

King said Arrowsmith, who grew up in Nelson before spending 11 years at Ashburton, was “the most incredible human being.” He had been living on King’s property for about 10 months, working on his land.

“He had a huge heart and he loved his friends and family, he would do anything for you without hesitation. He helped me with everything I needed, he was a really genuine and absolutely beautiful guy. “

In 2011 Arrowsmith suffered a fractured right shoulder blade after a truck driver struck him in a ditch on State Highway 1 near Oamaru.

He told the Otago Daily Times he had stopped his car and crossed the street to relieve himself.

While standing next to the road about to cross again, he was hit by a flatbed truck. He told the Otago Daily Times he saw the truck coming, it wasn’t until the last minute that he realized he was going to be hit.

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