Berwick dad Darrin Pierce killed in alleged hit-and-run

A man has been arrested following an alleged hit-run that claimed the life of a man on the Princes Highway in Berwick.

Darin Pierce met Collingwood Star Dane Swan (left) hours before his death.

A man has been arrested following an alleged hit-run that claimed the life of a 44-year-old Berwick man on November 26.

Major Collisions Investigation Unit detectives arrested a Narre Warren man on Saturday morning and seized a black BMW sedan.

The man is assisting police with their inquiries and the investigation remains ongoing.

Only hours before, the devoted Collingwood fan Darren Pierce, 44, had met his hero Dane Swan.

Mr Pierce was photographed smiling broadly during his encounter with the premiership star and Brownlow medallist at a sportsman’s lunch in Berwick on November 25.

Less than 12 hours later, he was found on the side of the road critically injured.

Father-of-three Darrin Pierce with wife Kati and daughter Tayla and son Hayden. Picture: Supplied

His wife, Kati Pierce broke down in tears as she paid tribute to the “kind” father who went out of his way to help others.

She said the couple had met at a pub for dinner and a few drinks on the Friday night.

At the end of the evening, the pair embarked on a 15-minute walk home together, but one of them would not make it.

Mrs Pierce said her husband lagged behind as he walked along the Princes Highway while she opted for the footpath.

“I walked before him and he came later but I could still hear him talking behind me. But I got home and he didn’t come home,” she said.

Calls to his phone went unanswered.

Mr Pierce, who owned and operated Berwick Pest Control, was found lying critically injured on the road about 12.15am on November 26 by two young women in a rideshare vehicle. They comforted the father of three before he was taken to hospital, where he later died.

“A couple of girls, 18 years old, (comforted him). I want to say thank you so much for helping call the ambulance,” Mrs Pierce said.

“I hear one girl put his head on her leg and comforted him, that’s very kind.”

Surrounded by loved ones, including her husband’s two children Tayla, 17 and Hayden, 15 from a previous relationship, she reflected on how they met in a cafe six years ago after they were introduced by a mutual friend.

“The first meeting I didn’t like him, but then I learnt a lot, he showed me what he did. I loved him because he loved his kids,” she said.

Darrin is being remembered as a devoted dad. Picture: Supplied

Wife Kati Pierce has been left devastated. Picture: Tony Gough

They went on to marry and have a son, Jordan, in 2018. His older children shared photographs of their dad. He was a longtime Collingwood fan and was thrilled to meet Swan, they said.

Another image showed the family at Tayla’s debutante ball this year. Mrs Pierce broke down in tears as she spoke of him. “He’s not here. We organised something to do on New Year’s Eve for the kids. He loves spending time with Jordan. It’s just before Christmas,” she said.

“December is my birthday, we planned to spend it together but he’s not here with me. I have no family here. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I can’t speak English well.”

Mrs Pierce pleaded for anyone with information to come forward.