Nightmare road rage driver was ‘on acid’
A nightmare road rage driver says he was high “on acid” when he rammed a car and flipped it into the Avon River.
Victims feared that the driver, John David Malcolm McLaren Savage – was going to kill them as they freed themselves from the upside-down crashed vehicle.
Savage, 27, an operator from Somerfield, appeared in the Christchurch District Court by video-link from the men’s prison where he remains in custody, and admitted reckless driving injuring five people, and assaulting one of them using a bottle as a weapon.
Judge Stephen O’Driscoll remanded him in custody for sentencing on November 29. He asked for a pre-sentence report, and referred the case for a restorative justice meeting with the victims if they wish.
He also ruled out any prospect of a home detention sentence.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Jeff Kay told the court the five victims were in a car stopped at a red traffic light at the Bealey Avenue-Sherbourne Street corner, when Savage pulled up beside them.
When they drove off, he rammed into the back of their car, and then rammed them a second time.
The other car sped up along Barbadoes Street to try to lose him, but Savage chased them, crashed into both sides of their car, and tried to ram their car into parked vehicles and power poles. He caused the car to lose control and spin out.
When Savage stopped and got out of his car and walked towards the other car, they drove off.
He chased them again along New Brighton Road and hit them in the back rear corner, spinning the victim’s car sideways. Savage accelerated, causing the other car to flip and crash backwards into the Avon River.
Savage parked his car along the road while one of the victims undid the seatbelts of the victims in the river. Four got free, and the rescuer returned to the car to free the fourth person.
Savage went to the riverbank, while two victims hid under the bank fearing that he had come to kill them.
Savage threw several items including a bottle that hit the victim who had rescued the others, causing a cut on the head.
One of the victims yelled at Savage: “What are you doing? What have we done?”
Savage yelled back, and the victim called out, “What’s your name?”
Savage called back: “I’m John f—g Savage and don’t you forget it.” He then drove off.
The victims received injuries including soreness, torn shoulder, bruises, cuts to the face, head, hands and arms. One lost the top of her finger, and one had a chipped bone in the leg. One was hospitalised from swallowing water, and the $8000 car was written off and other items lost or damaged in the river.
Savage told police had been “on acid” and was not really sure about everything that had happened. He admitted he had knocked the other car into the river but denied throwing anything at the victims. Acid is a term for the hallucinogin, LSD.
Reparations totalling thousands of dollars are being claimed.
Category: News
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