Hit-and-Run Outside Popular Park by Youth Likely Known to Police, Leaving Young Afghani Family Shaken and Out-of-Pocket
Chaos erupted yesterday outside Harrington Park in Riccarton, when a youth drove a car head-on into another vehicle and then fled the scene. The collision left an Afghani family shaken and left waiting for an hour before Police arrived. In the aftermath, the husband and wife were left with a damaged vehicle, the husband with a burned arm and challenging a $360 bill for vehicle towing.
Pictured (The Wigram): Munir Ahmad Safi
Just before 4pm yesterday, a teenager was driving a black hatchback down Centennial Avenue. Munirahmad Safi (25) was driving home along Peverel Street after visiting a friend’s house. He says his speed was 40 km per hour.
He drove past Harrington Park. It was busy with visitors and friends enjoying an afternoon together.
As Safi approached Centennial Avenue, the black hatchback swung out into the intersection. Safi swerved in vain, the hatchback sped head-on into Safi’s Toyota Corolla.
Safi said the driver wasn’t looking, “can’t control the car”, was “drifting”-meaning the driver was spinning out the car’s rear wheels. He said he looked like he was drunk or on drugs. “He looks like crazy.” Safi described the driver as “bullying” him.
‘Monica’ was at home in a nearby flat with her daughter when the chaos erupted. Her daughter “opened the blinds” and said “looks like there’s a car crash. Heaps of people around. Monica’s security camera captured the crash. See here.
Occupants from a nearby property also dashed to the scene. One, a man dressed in black, sprinted along Centennial Avenue. Safi says 10 to 12 people came over.
Smoke steamed came out of the hatchback. Safi hopped out of his vehicle and then the teenager backed up the vehicle and sped back the way he had come.
The teenager stopped the vehicle, took off his hood, and while looking at the vehicle which was also damaged, put his hands on his head. An older woman met him, he passed something to her, and they walked off away from the collision.
Moments later, the black-clad male sprinted to the hatchback, climbed in and sped off towards Elizabeth Street. A passer-by saw him enter Elizabeth Street and then Kawaka Street, both dead-end streets.
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