To be attributed to Detective Senior Sergeant Mark van Kempen, Rotorua CIB:
Rotorua Police can now release the name of the man who died after being struck by a motorcycle on Edmund Road on 15 June.
He was Paige Johnson, aged 24, from Rotorua.
Police have received a number of calls and online reports in response to our previous appeals for information and we would like to thank everyone who has contacted us so far.
We are now appealing for further public assistance to identify and locate the rider of the motorcycle involved.
Since 15 July, the investigation team has been working to trace the movements of the motorcycle that day.
CCTV footage provided by members of the public has helped establish that following the collision, the motorcycle travelled from Edmund Road on to Clayton Road, then along Thomas Road and in to Gordon Road, heading east.
Today, a significant police presence has been in and around this area, speaking with residents and gathering further information. The response has been extremely positive, with several valuable pieces of information being received.
Police are also continuing to support Paige's family, who are devastated by his loss. Both Paige's family and Police reiterate our appeal to anyone with knowledge of this incident, the motorcycle, or its rider to contact Police - either directly or anonymously via Crime Stoppers.
We also want to reiterate our appeal to the motorcyclist to come forward and do the right thing - both for their own sake and for Paige's grieving family. We know Paige's death will likely be weighing heavily on this person and it is important that we speak to them to understand the full picture of what occurred.
Additionally, we want to remind members of our community that assisting anyone involved in this incident in a way that intentionally hinders the police investigation could have serious consequences.
Photographs of the motorcycle and its rider are attached. The motorcycle is believed to be a black and gold Kawasaki Ninja 600cc. The rider is believed to be male and has a distinctive full-length tattoo on his left leg.
