Dad with baby attacked at Dunedin lookout in apparent parenting dispute

A dad parked at a popular Dunedin lookout was attacked by a man from another car who objected to his baby being out late at night.

Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said the father was parked at Unity Park late yesterday evening when the assault happened.

“The argument started because the occupant had a baby in the back seat they were trying to settle, as they had been driving around and parked up there.”

A 30-year-old man, a passenger in another parked car, got out and approached the family’s vehicle.

When the father got out of his car, the man started arguing with him.

He told the father he “shouldn’t have a baby out this late”, and punched him in the back of the head, Bond said.

The alleged attacker was picked up by police a few hours later after the car he was in swerved through road cones before driving away and slamming into a parked car.

Bond said police were called to Queens Gardens after reports of disorderly behaviour about 1am today.

A vehicle was driving over road cones in the area before the driver fled the area and crashed into a parked car in Eglinton Rd, Mornington.

Police found the vehicle in Forbury Rd, where they arrested the 30-year-old man for the alleged assault.

A 27-year-old man, believed to also be a passenger, fled on foot.

He was caught and charged with breaching bail conditions.

Police were still trying to identify the driver of the vehicle.

tim.scott@odt.co.nz