Axe wielded in road rage incident, says witness

A man was threatened with an axe during an altercation at Tauranga's Cameron Rd and Elizabeth St intersection. Photo/File

An angry motorist wielded an axe during a road rage incident at a busy Tauranga intersection yesterday, a witness said.

Police confirmed they were called to the intersection of Elizabeth St and Cameron Rd about 10.10am after receiving several calls for disorder.

A police spokeswoman said a person reportedly produced a weapon and threatened another person with it, "but it's not confirmed whether it struck anything or anyone".

"Our inquiries are ongoing. [There have been] no arrests made at this stage."

A woman who was waiting at the intersection told the Bay of Plenty Times she could see two men having an argument with each other as she approached the left lane to turn into Elizabeth St.

"They were in the middle lane. I went to turn left, then I suddenly stopped because I saw two men arguing.

"Next moment one guy was rummaging around in his car and came out with an axe. I thought 'oh hell'.

"That was frightening when he came out with it shaking it.

"His partner or a lady who was there took the axe off him and put it back into the car."

The woman said she was not sure whether there had been a crash because the cars were apart but could see other motorists calling the police.