A man on an invalid's benefit had seven ribs broken after he confronted boy racers who crashed a vehicle near his home.
Bryon Corfield, 55, was badly beaten on his driveway in Mangonui after he confronted a group of men doing burnouts at the intersection of SH10 and Colonel MouldDrive.
The attack at 2am on Sunday left him with seven broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder and facial injuries.
Mr Corfield said from his hospital bed in Kaitaia yesterday that he feared he would die. "I didn't think I was going to be here much longer."
He said the attack was an escalation of a problem the Far North town had faced for some time.
The incident has appalled Far North Mayor and Mangonui resident Wayne Brown, who wants the offenders locked up where they cannot attack anyone else.
Police said Mr Corfield went outside to remonstrate with the driver of a car after it crashed into a tree and became stuck.
He was attacked by two of the six people in the group and was taken to Kaitaia Hospital by ambulance.
The offenders' vehicle had left by the time police arrived but it was not hard to find a car matching its description - police followed a trail of muddy tyre marks down the road.
Three occupants were questioned by police, who were satisfied they were witnesses rather than the offenders.
The driver, however, was processed for drink-driving.
Senior Constable Steve Robinson said two people were still being sought, and police knew whom they were looking for. "We understand there were six people all told, but four of them were not involved in the assault."
Mr Robinson said a weapon - a length of wood - had been recovered.
