Man collapses after road rage attack
GOOD Samaritans rushed to the aid of a man who collapsed on the road after he was allegedly assaulted in a road rage incident yesterday.
Witnesses said they saw the alleged assailant swerve in front of the victim’s car, forcing him to stop in Taieri Rd near Wakari Hospital, between Wakari Rd and Helensburgh Rd.
The man then stormed out of his car and began smashing the windscreen with his fist before forcing open the driver’s door and repeatedly hitting the victim.
He then fled the scene and remained at large yesterday evening.
Witnesses said the victim stumbled from his car, then collapsed as members of the public rushed to his aid, comforting him until an ambulance arrived.
A bystander recorded the alleged assault on a phone and showed police.
Passersby were seen crying and hugging on the footpath as the man was carried into an ambulance by St John paramedics.
A police spokeswoman said the alleged offender, known to police, was still at large and inquiries were continuing.
It appeared the victim tried to drive off before he was assaulted, the spokeswoman said.
What spurred the alleged assailant’s actions were unclear, she said.
Dunedin man Mike Vince said he was driving past and stopped to run to the man’s aid as he lay on the road.
He described the man as being in his 60s and condemned the vicious attack.
‘‘As far as I know he’s smashed the front windscreen of the car, then just opened the door and just started hitting the man . . . It’s just disgusting, abso lutely disgusting — there’s no need for that.’’
A St John spokesman said the man was taken by ambulance to Dunedin Hospital’s emergency department with minor injuries.