A FRANKSTON man pulling out of Thrift Park shopping centre, 11.30pm, Thursday 15 July, inadvertently cut in front of another car – and then had his car extensively damaged in a vicious road-rage incident.
The man told Cheltenham police that after leaving the shopping centre in his Holden station wagon he became aware of a blue Toyota Orion “aggressively tailgating” him along Nepean Hwy as he approached Collins St, Mentone.
He was then rammed from behind by the Toyota, which drove over his rear driver’s side wheel, knocking off the bumper bar, and extensively damaging the mid and rear-side panels.
Police said the victim at that point “had a good view of the underside of the offending vehicle”.
The Toyota then pulled in front of the station wagon as they headed up Nepean Hwy with the victim in hot pursuit. When the Toyota stopped at a traffic light at the Station Rd intersection he drove up alongside to speak to the driver, who threatened him before driving off – only to crash front on into a road sign and stopping abruptly.
The Toyota was then repeatedly driven over the road sign until it was flattened and then onto a service road – again with the victim close behind – until it reached Charman Rd when the victim broke off the chase and reported the incident to Cheltenham police.
Statements and photographs have been offered to police by witnesses.
The Toyota was later found to be sporting number plates from a stolen Toyota Camry sedan. It was last seen driving along Charman Rd towards Beach Rd.
The driver was described as a dark skinned man of Indian or Mauritian appearance, with curly, scruffy dark hair, mid-40s, unshaven with traces of grey facial hair. There are no descriptions for the two passengers.
Anyone with information is asked to call Kingston CIU 9556 6111.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 20 July 2016