The dad of a young man left for dead after being hit by a car is pleading with the driver to surrender themselves to police. 

Decorated Land, Search and Rescue officer Cliff Jones says his son lay in a pool of blood and gravel in the Wellington backroads in the early hours of Sunday morning. 

Lochie Jones, 23, walked home from a concert in the CBD when he could not get his rideshare app to work. The dad his son he was a celebrated rower and used to walking long distances. 

He was only 400m from his flat when he was struck by a car, sending him flying through the air and before he fell hard on the gravel. 

“To fight for his life in the gravel, it’s just not human,” Jones said. 

He said he could not believe “someone could hit a person and leave them dying like a creature on the side of the road”. 

Lochie was found unconscious by a rideshare driver who took him home, and from there Lochie was taken to hospital. 

He suffered a broken sternum, broken vertebrae, cracked and broken teeth, internal bleeding and damage to several organs among other serious injuries. 

Lochie Jones suffered a broken sternum, broken vertebrae, cracked and broken teeth, internal bleeding and damage to several organs among other serious injuries. 

“It looks like he’s been through some sort of industrial machine, smashing his body around,” Jones said. 

Jones said Lochie is the “most loveable kid around” and is loved by so many. 

He is urging the person responsible to surrender themselves to the police and pleading with the public to provide any information they can. 

“The sort of person that will leave a boy fighting for his life on the street, lying on a road, you have to question whether they are the sort of people we want on our roads,” Jones said. 

“And so to that end, you know, anything the public can do to assist us in finding that person that will be greatly appreciated.” 

Lochie's dad Cliff Jones said he is the “most loveable kid around” and is loved by so many. 

Sergeant Shaun Taiaki of Wellington road policing said Lochie was located at the intersection of Kaiwharawhara and Old Porirua Rds between 4.45am and 5.45am. 

“We have since spoken with the person located and inquiries are ongoing to determine what occurred,” Taiaki said. 

Jones said with the nature of Lochie’s injuries, the driver must have known he had hit him and would have damage to their car. 

“This did not happen without him knowing,” Jones said. 

Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022. 

This article was originally published on the NZ Herald here.