Road-rage incident drivers may meet
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driver involved in an ugly road-rage incident in Riccarton may offer an apology at a restorative justice meeting.
The meeting was suggested by Christchurch District Court Jane Farish today after one of the two drivers, Sione Toutaiolepo, admitted charges of intentional damage and assault using a vehicle as a weapon.
He wants the meeting to take place, but whether it goes ahead will depend on the attitude of his victim in the incident that took place at the Riccarton Road-Straven Road intersection on January 14.
Toutaiolepo, a 46-year-old from Riccarton, had originally denied the charges but after discussions at the Court House today the charges were amended and he pleaded guilty.
Defence counsel Paul Johnson said: “This was a minor traffic incident that escalated into something quite ugly.”
Judge Farish told Toutaiolepo – through an interpreter – that the restorative justice meeting would be a chance for him to apologise to the victim.
She said she was also ordering a pre-sentence report ahead of his sentencing scheduled for June 22, which would “try to explain why it was that you behaved in this way on this day”.
Sergeant Paul Simcox told the court that the Toutaiolepo, driving a van, had been involved in a minor traffic incident with a truck driven by the victim.
Toutaiolepo then went to the side of the truck, holding a metal tyre iron, climbed up on the step to the cab and argued with the driver before swinging the tyre iron and smashing the driver’s side window.
Toutaiolepo walked away but the truck driver got out and told him he was calling the police.
Toutaiolepo held up the tyre iron in a threatening manner and then got into his van.
The truck driver stood in front of the van, but Toutaiolepo drove forward, knocking the victim backwards. When he stood up, Toutaiolepo edged his van forward and hit him again.
The victim grabbed the windscreen wipers to avoid going under the wheel. His arm was trapped in the wing mirror and he was dragged into the centre of the intersection before getting free. Toutaiolepu then drove away.
He told police later that he was angry that the truck driver had cut him off.
Police are asking for $518 reparations for the damage to the truck window.
Category: Focus
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