Angry campers chase hoons after 'melee'
LAURA BASHAM
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A carload of youths sped through Kaiteriteri Motor Camp throwing cans at campers, and drove into one of them.
Outraged campers, including off-duty police officers, then chased after them.
The driver is now in custody facing a charge of assault with a weapon.
The campground was full with 1800 holidaymakers when the youths in an old Mitsubishi car drove up around 7pm on Thursday. Sergeant Rob Crawford, of Motueka, said they drove at speed through the busy campground despite being challenged by holidaymakers, who told them to slow down.
"There were a number of people trying to stop the driver. At one stage, the driver appeared to drive at a person – he was struck, but not injured."
The youths abandoned the car and ran off towards the estuary, pursued by campers, security staff and off-duty police officers.
"They chose the wrong day, with off-duty police here," camp manager Rob Guild said.
A security man caught one, a member of the public another, and the officers stopped two more.
The youths, who were from Nelson and Upper Moutere, were taken to the Motueka police station, with the 17-year-old driver taken into custody and the others released on breach of the peace warnings while police make further inquiries.
"I'm disappointed at their actions; they put a lot of people's lives at risk," Mr Crawford said. "They drove through at speed. It was a melee.
"I think the actions of the public were restrained, because the campers were pretty angry. I take my hat off to them."
Behaviour at Kaiteriteri had been good during the summer, and it was the first major incident there, he said.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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One was also carrying potenital weapons, the photo's will show. The incident could have been much worse as someone could have been badly injured. As reported, the youths were also very lucky that the campers were restrained else they could have been toast.
I agree with the others re the charge. Driving at someone is assault with a weapon?? Why is it not something more serious?
RETARDS.......
good on ya guys however In my case last year in December I was driven at by a hoon in Trafalgar Park, approached by a youth with a Baseball Bat at BK after spotting the driver on my way to the Police station. I slapped the face of youth and I was done for common assault. The BK staff who saw the Base Ball bat denied it (they were mates with the hoons) Interesting isn't it. !!?
Good on you guys for fighting back. I'm so sick of the unacceptable behaviour of the few being tolerated by the general public, so it's good to see that people are prepared to take action. The driver should be charged with attempted murder after deliberately driving at someone. Jeez! Throw the book at them. Imagine if a child had been killed by this pack of losers? Brainless, pathetic bloody low-life's. Crush the driver's car and take away his/her license till they're mature enough to be responsible, at least 5 years. Nelson seems to be at the mercy of prats driving lethal weapons at speed. There's absolutely NO excuse for this behaviour and I'd welcome more individuals taking the action to stop them. Take their rego's and report them to the police. The mature members of society have a responsibility to show the younger ones how to act. They are the future of this country after all. Right now it's reminiscent of A Clockwork Orange.
Why not add attempted manslaughter to the charges?
The driver of this car should have his driving licence taken away for five years, as I would say having shown behavour behind the wheel akin to an 11 year old he is really still five years away from understanding what driving is all about and the damage to people's lives that can be done by a car.
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Good to see the public finally standing up to these hoons, we should see it more often,time for decent law abiding people to start taking back the parks and streets and put the low lifes in jail along with the bleeding heart PC crowd who allow them to get away with it.