Carjacked driver shaken
Family believe armed offender would not hurt her
Awoman whose car was taken in an alleged carjacking by an armed offender is still shaken after the ordeal. The Foxton woman had just pulled out of her driveway and was barely moving when another vehicle suddenly swerved in front of her on Monday afternoon.
A relative of the woman told the Herald a man leapt out of his vehicle armed with a gun and told the woman that he needed to borrow hers to get to Feilding.
The woman’s tale — told to the Herald by her cousin — is just one of many facets of an incident which police allege would eventually result in the alleged offender firing two shots at police — one just seconds before the vehicle crashed into a patrol car on Kimbolton Rd, Feilding, about 50km away.
She is now being consoled by wha¯nau and trying to deal with the traumatic incident, as the alleged gunman recovers from serious injuries after the crash.
Police have already confirmed that they were first alerted to the incident after reports of a vehicle being driven erratically in Foxton.
He allegedly failed to stop and police didn’t initiate a pursuit, but made inquiries about the vehicle.
He ended up driving back past police and allegedly firing a shot at an officer, who was uninjured.
We believe he loves kids. Cousin of carjacked woman
It was shortly afterwards when the Foxton woman began leaving her home and was approached.
The woman’s cousin said she was leaving her property on Avenue Rd, “when this car swerved in front of her and a man jumped out with a gun . . . and asked her to get out, that he needed to borrow a car to get to Feilding”.
“He said, ‘ Sorry I just need a car’,” the relative claimed.
“He jumped in, passed her handbag and phone and left. That’s all that was said between the two of them.”
He would go on to lead police on a “wild goose chase” — according to another resident — before crashing.
The woman’s cousin said the man never pointed the gun directly at her.
The accused abandoned the car he was driving in the middle of Avenue Rd.
She said her cousin, aged in her 40s, was shaken by what happened and wasn’t herself.
“She is still shaken up and it will take time.
“We’re only happy he never hurt her. In saying that, it will take time for her to be her happy self again. ”
The cousin said the man was not aggressive and she did not believe he would have harmed her cousin.
“We believe he loves kids. I’m sorry I’m not justifying what he done was wrong but I believe he wouldn’t have harmed anyone.”
The woman added that Foxton was a small town, “and we are all wha¯nau”.
“Especially ours. We love and care for ours.”
The man is now in hospital. Police confirmed yesterday afternoon that a 30-year-old has been charged with use of a firearm against a law enforcement officer, unlawfully carrying a firearm and aggravated robbery.
The man has been remanded in custody until January 28.