A tragic incident unfolded in the coastal suburb of Shorncliffe when a 17-year-old, reportedly driving a black Ford Focus, lost control in a boat ramp parking lot. The vehicle struck 38-year-old Bevon Sapolu, leading to his untimely death at the scene.

The teenager is also accused of crashing into a tree and subsequently breaking through the fence of a nearby furniture store.

In a heartbreaking twist, Sapolu’s partner of two decades, Deb, was present at the time of the accident. She was there to pick him up for a dinner outing and witnessed the devastating event.

“He was such a giving and caring person,” Deb shared in a statement to 9News. “He loved his children, and I knew he was trying so hard to do well.”

“He was such a giving and caring person,” she said in a statement to 9News.

“He loved his children, I knew he was trying so hard to do well.”

Sapolu had been sleeping rough but had found employment learning to be a deckhand on a seafood trawler docked nearby.

His fellow crew remembered him fondly.

“He’s been the nicest guy I’ve had on the boat, very honest, very willing,” trawler owner Terry Garratt told 9News.

“Everybody thought very well of Bevon, he was a lovely man.”

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