Man and woman allegedly returned to hit and run, beat NZ firefighter Ian Pullen over head

Police will allege a man and woman accused of killing a firefighter hit him with a car before returning to the scene and carrying out a gruesome act.

Ian Pullen (pictured with wife Vicki) was allegedly hit by a ute and left for dead, before a man and woman inside the car returned to the scene and hit him over the head.

Police have charged a second person over the 2018 death of a NZ firefighter and made disturbing allegations about how the man spent his final moments alive.

Ian Pullen, 43, was found dead on the side of Carrington Street, Glenridding – in the Hunter Region – just after 5.30am on September 29, 2018.

The young father, who worked as a firefighter pilot, had been brought in to help fight bushfires in the area.

He was initially believed to have been killed in a hit and run but police will now allege those accused of the crash returned to the scene later and bashed Mr Pullen over the head with an object.

Ian Pullen, a firefighter pilot from New Zealand, was found dead by the side of the road in NSW’s Hunter Region in 2018, shortly after he was deployed to Australia to help with bushfire efforts.

The allegations were revealed by police after a 30-year-old woman was charged with murder over Mr Pullen’s death.

Officers arrested the woman at a home on Dominion Avenue in Singleton about 9am on Monday.

Joshua Knight, 29, has also been charged with murder, dangerous driving occasioning death and failing to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing death.

He was arrested at Newcastle Police Station on Wednesday October 15.

Police will allege in court Mr Knight was driving a white Toyota HiLux when Mr Pullen was hit between 4am and 5.30am on Saturday September 29, before leaving the scene.

They will also allege the ute returned to the scene a short time later, with the man and woman then getting out of the car and bashing Mr Pullen over the head with an object.

An anonymous tip off received earlier in the investigation had suggested those responsible returned to the scene and approached Mr Pullen while he was still alive.

A 30-year-old woman was arrested over Mr Pullen’s death on Monday, and charged with murder. Picture: NSW Police

Police allege the woman and a man were in a Toyota HiLux when Mr Pullen was hit, and returned to the scene shortly after and hit him over the head. Picture: NSW Police

Joshua Knight has been charged with murder, dangerous driving occasioning death and failing to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing death. Picture: Facebook

Mr Pullen’s mother, Gill, told reporters in September 2019 the 12 months since her son’s death had been “hell”.

“We can‘t get closure. We can’t go on with a life,” she said at the time.

“All I’ve got now is our memories from my son growing up.

“I carry his ashes around my neck. This has been on there since the day he was cremated. It‘s never been taken off.”

Mr Knight remains before the courts and the woman was refused bail to appear at Muswellbrook Local Court on Tuesday.

Investigations under Strike Force Awabakil are ongoing.

Mr Pullen’s mum, Gill, told reporters in 2019 she was unable to move on from the death because there had been no explanation as to what had happened to her son.