A 19-year-old young man lost his life on Christmas morning following a fatal hit-and-run incident along the North Coast Road at Rempi village in the Madang province, the incident occurring at approximately 10:30AM in the morning.

Madang Provincial Police Commander (PPC) Superintendent Robert Baim confirmed that the victim was walking along the roadside when a vehicle ran off the road and struck him.

“The young man died instantly at the scene,” said the PPC.

The victim was from Lagah village in the Transgogol area.

The vehicle involved has been identified as a Toyota Land Cruiser utility. Police have since apprehended the driver, a 45-year-old man from Karkar Island, who remains in custody.

In a move to quell local rumors, Superintendent Baim explicitly dismissed public speculation regarding the involvement of the vehicle's owner, Mr. Atis Deme.

“It was the driver, not the owner,” he said, calling on the public to report facts and not hearsay.

The driver will be charged with dangerous driving causing death. No other injuries were reported, and investigations are continuing.