Road rage fuels attack on truck near Blenheim

A man forced off a narrow road by a truck coming the other way took revenge by smashing the window of another truck he thought was owned by the same company.

Simon Anthony Stubbs, 42, of Mayfield, was a passenger in a car driving on Wratts Rd in Rapaura, northwest of Blenheim, on July 27.

An approaching truck refused to make way for Stubbs’ car to get past, and his car was forced off the road to avoid a crash, a police summary said.

Stubbs was so incensed he got out of the car and walked up to two other trucks sitting on the side of the road, which he believed to be from the same company, hoping to confront the drivers.

But both trucks drove away before he reached them.

This made Stubbs even angrier, the summary said.

Stubbs picked up a rock and threw it through the window of another parked truck.

Police charged him with wilful dam- age.

The company that owned the truck sought $379.10 in reparation.

In the Blenheim District Court on Monday, Stubbs’ lawyer Philip Watson said his client told police he wanted to make a complaint about the driving of the first truck driver.

‘‘He was rather upset, as the summary says,’’ Watson said.

However, police were ‘‘not too receptive’’ to Stubbs’ complaint, Watson said.

Stubbs, a vineyard worker, was willing to pay back the money in weekly instalments, Watson said.

Judge Jan Kelly convicted Stubbs and sentenced to him to pay reparation at $25 a week. He was also sentenced to 40 hours’ community work.